The Adventures of Lyra Potter Volume 1
by Quill-inkPantalaimon
Summary: Lyra is the most abnormal person in the world at the present time, though she does not know it, she is the most important 'key' to unlock the doors to the future on more than one front. Can she cope with the pressure? Or is she not on her own?
1. The Dursleys

The Adventures Of Lyra Potter Volume 1

Chapter One – The Dursleys

Lyra Potter was just an ordinary 10 year old girl – or so people thought. You see on the outside she looked normal but on the inside she was anything but. Nobody noticed her if she passed in the streets – but if you knew her properly then you'd realise that she was far different form others her age.

Lyra, a stubborn, lively, cleaver girl lived with her Aunt Petunia Dursley, Uncle Vernon Dursley and their son Dudley Dursley at number 4 Privet Drive in Surrey. What looked like a normal happy family, living in a normal street, was not was it seemed. You see this family held a very unusual secret that the Dursley's were not proud of whatsoever and that Lyra didn't know anything about. She obviously thought there was something strange around her but couldn't place what was unusual about it. She could do things the others couldn't but just assumed it was just one of those things not every body could do – everyone was different, right?

One August morning she woke with a start to find herself in her bedroom cupboard under the stairs after having a nightmare – it was such a scary dream, one that involved not being able to run or talk although creatures were chasing her and yelling – she hated dreams like that. Great, she now had another bruise on her arm from where she had bashed it when she (as usual) had obviously been thrashing in her sleep. These dreams seemed to happen quite a lot – maybe it was because of the fact that Dudley tried to scare her out of her wits every day of her life, or maybe just that she was a troubled child. Either way she had them, nothing ever helped to prevent them, not even medicine from the doctors. Hmmm, Dudley – oh great, she thought to herself as dust settled in her hair from Dudley bounding down the stairs. She'd just remembered – Dudley's birthday today,

"Woop." She said to herself quite sarcastically.

She got up quickly, got dressed into her best clothes, brushed her curly dirty blonde coloured hair that annoyed Aunt Petunia so much and looked in the mirror. She may have had an awful nightmare but nothing had changed there – a heart-shaped face, standard nose, bright green eyes, curly hair and the usual annoying burn on her head that was in the shape of a skull that she tried to hide with her fringe. Sometimes that burn stung when she had a particular nightmare that included bright green light, screaming then an eerie silence and falling (you know when you fall you wake up, she got that).

Anyway, back to today, the day everyone had been dreading – Dudley's birthday trip to the zoo. Yes, his parents dreaded it too. This boy was so spoilt, greedy and intimidating, they had no choice but to make everything perfect for their son's 'special day'. That was the reason for her best clothes (best fitted that is). Lyra wore Dudley's old clothes that was very much like wearing baggy elephant skin – boys for that matter – she wished so much that she could just be a normal, fashionable girl with nice loving parents that let her wear girls clothes, I mean they're making her wear _boys _clothes for goodness sake. She did love being a tom-boy most of the time (actually she was very tom-boyish) but it was still embarrassing wearing Dudley's old clothes and she didn't like the way people looked at her. She tried her best to make them look like her sort of clothes – bit girly but tom-boyish too – she was very creative after all. A few beads, a needle, thread and scissors and there you have it a long feminine/tom-boy long baggy shirt, much to the Dursley's annoyance.

She opened her cupboard door and ran straight into Dudley running in the other direction. She fell over and gained herself another bruise in the process. All Dudley had to say for himself was,

"Watch where you're going Potter!"

Before she could open her big mouth to say a winning retort (Dudley was not very bright at all), she was interrupted by Uncle Vernon complaining at her, by way of his usual morning greeting,

"Stop mucking around and get the breakfast done!"

She had no choice but to obey, after all she knew perfectly well that wouldn't help the situation so went to cook the eggs in the pan.

They all sat at the kitchen table in silence, looking at their ready laid eggs and bacon – except of course Dudley who was gobbling down his breakfast greedily already. When he had finished he belched loudly and Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon glanced at each other before Aunt Petunia said, starting her breakfast,

"Gosh you're a growing boy Didikins, now that you're all eleven and all grown up."

Lyra rolled her eyes. Dudley was ignoring his mum and had begun to count his presents laid out in the lounge – this was a big effort considering his thickness.

"Thirty-six! But last year I had thirty-seven!"

Just knowing that a Dudley tantrum was on the way her Aunt and Uncle tried to think up excuses to stop him raging and the final decision was to buy him extra presents when they went out later. To top it off apparently Dudley's mate was coming too – great, one of her other primary school bullies coming as the main coarse too. Just what she needed.

By this point Dudley was onto his second helpings of egg and bacon – looking down at her own she realised it wasn't there anymore – Dudley, the fat, greedy pig with five chins sitting next to her had eaten hers too – he was going to pay big time for that one!

"What's the matter with you?" He said staring down at her with his humongous body and small, fat hidden piggy eyes.

"You've taken my breakfast!" Lyra retorted.

"Silence!" uncle Vernon interjected and started a lecture at Lyra, "You should be grateful for what you do have – you were not eating it therefore it shall not be wasted." Looking at him and then at his son she wanted to laugh regarding her situation. There they both were, large pink faces, not much neck, small, watery blue eyes and blonde hair that lay smoothly on their big fat heads. How Aunt Petunia could think of Dudley as her baby angel, Lyra would never know, she personally thought that he looked like a pig in a wig. Aunt Petunia on the other hand was quite the opposite – very thin and crane like (she used her long neck to its advantage looking over into the neighbours gardens).With that Lyra stalked off to the bathroom trying to sort out her mixed feelings of wanting to rant, yell and burst into hysterics all at the same time.


	2. The Car Journey and Memories

Chapter 2 – The Car journey and Memories

Once everyone was all set and ready to go the doorbell went and in came Piers Polkiss one of Dudley's gang members. He was small, bigger than Lyra but had sandy coloured hair and a pointed, mousy face to go with it.

They all gathered into the small Dursley's car – the three children in the back, the adults in the front. They all set off to the zoo. On the bright side, Lyra thought, I'm still going to the Zoo! Even though it's bad to say it she was very pleased Mrs Figg had broken her leg as this made them have to take her with them. Every birthday she had to go and stay with her while she gave her lectures on all the cats she had ever known. No offence to her but she was sick of the rotten cabbage scent of her house and hearing about her favourite cats Tibbles, Snowy, Mr Paws and Tufty. It would have to be a whole other year before she had to look at the pictures again!

Uncle Vernon interrupted her reverie by warning her the usual going out statement – "Any funny business, any at all and you won't have any meals for a week" and, "I'm warning you now, girl or you'll be in that cupboard from now until Christmas." She replied with her simple routinely,

"I'm not going to do anything." Followed by a few snickers from the boys next to her.

Of coarse they wouldn't believe her – she didn't even believe in that herself – you see these strange things that happened to her included: Aunt Petunia coming back from the hairdressers with her looking like she hadn't been at all, then taken a pair of kitchen scissors and cutting her hair so short she looked like a boy, except for her fringe to cover up her "disgusting burn". Dudley had laughed himself silly until he nearly died half from her aiming a well aimed punch at his nose and half because of the asthma attack he had caused himself. She had nightmares all night about being bullied to find when she woke up all her hair had grown back exactly the same – she couldn't deny herself that that was strange – but she was only six after all. Aunt Petunia had gone mad and she had been locked in her cupboard for a whole week even though she didn't have a clue how it happened.

Another time Aunt Petunia had been trying to force her into this remarkably disgusting woollen jumper with brown, blotchy dots all over that had belonged to Dudley. But the more she tried to put it on her, it shrunk until it became doll sized, she didn't seem to notice however as she just assumed it had just shrunk in the wash. Lyra still couldn't believe she had got out of that one.

Marvelling at her interesting memories of her childhood so far she realised that the journey was going well, Uncle Vernon was just enjoying his daily moans to Aunt Petunia (Usually on his favourite subjects such as; Lyra, work, the council, the bank, Lyra, cats he'd been seeing recently, People in funny cloaks, Lyra and the new one – motorbikes. Not a second later, the motorbike Uncle Vernon was moaning about nearly knocked them out of the road. Uncle Vernon swore and got back into the queue. That reminded Lyra,

"I had a dream about a motorbike the other night – it was flying." At this the car nearly toppled over as Uncle Vernon slammed his foot on the brake in anger. Aunt Petunia screamed and other drivers gave them funny looks.

"MOTORBIKES DON'T FLY!"

"I know," she mumbled in shock, "it was only a dream." The boys snickered again.

Talking about flying that reminded Lyra of another extraordinary memory she owned. She'd got in terrible trouble from everyone for being found on the roof of the school kitchens at Primary school. Dudley's gang had been chasing her as usual of a lunch and break time when all of a sudden to everyone's utter shock (including hers) she found herself on the kitchen's chimney. The Dursley's had received a very angry letter explaining the incident – she couldn't even explain how she'd done it!


	3. The Reptile House

Chapter 3 – The Reptile House

Chuckling at her funny memories she gained herself a funny look from Piers, who was distracted instantly as they had clearly just arrived at the Zoo. It was a miserable day and there were clouds in the sky but she was determined, even with Piers and Dudley there to behave and have the best day of her life. It was very crowded there and there were a few Scouts and Guides queuing to get in to Uncle Vernon's great annoyance. Finally getting to the front they got in and decided to go and buy some ice creams. They bought these fancy, sickly chocolate ones for the boys but just completely ignored her until the man in the cart asked her what she wanted. They had no choice but to buy her a cheap cherry ice-lolly but she couldn't possibly have been happier, she thanked the man and they then made their way to the lion's enclosure.

The lions were magnificent with their oversized mains and great royal features, she was sad to leave but Piers and Dudley could not be pleased for long…

Next they made their way to the Reptile House where there was humongous snakes of all colours. They started by looking at a particularly ugly snake with massive, poisonous fangs that seemed to appeal to Dudley and Piers. Lyra rolled her eyes at them. Then they moved on to a gigantic snake that was asleep.

"Make it move." Dudley said to his father, who bashed on the glass. Nothing happened; the snake was still fast asleep – or dead.

"He's boring." Piers sighed and walked away with Dudley waddling behind which left Lyra alone to look at the motionless snake.

_It winked. _She was sure it did. She stared and checked to see that she was the only one looking. She winked back, fascinated. It jerked its head at the direction the Dursleys and Piers took off and rolled its eyes to the ceiling.

"I know." Lyra whispered to the snake. It was obviously expressing the fact that that happens all the time to it. She felt kind of stupid talking to a snake but carried on talking to the snake anyway.

"That must get incredibly annoying." To her utter amazement the snake nodded quickly. She no longer felt stupid but just simply intrigued.

"Er, where d'you come from?" she asked, making sure this wasn't a trick of the light.

The snake pointed its tail in the direction of the sign next to its container. It read:

_Boa Constrictor, Brazil_

At that moment however they were interrupted by Piers ramming into Lyra and knocking her over flat on her back – she just glared at him.

"OH MY GOD, LOOK AT WHAT THIS SNAKE IS DOING!"

The Dursley's came up to have a look and all lent on the glass for a peek. Lyra felt so sorry for the snake to have to endure their faces that she imagined the glass to disappear…

"AHHHHHHRRRGGGHHHH!!" What she thought had actually happened and complete chaos erupted from around her – she quickly got up to prevent herself from being trampled on from passers by and looked at the snake container. Uncle Vernon, Dudley, Aunt Petunia and Piers were all inside the container, sopping wet with the snake next to her saying what the thought was a 'thanks amigo'. She was shocked and was so disappointed at herself and ashamed at what she's done.

They all hurried back to the car once all chaos had been resolved. The glass that had remade itself had been removed by the staff and the director himself had apologised profoundly for what had happened even though it was a mystery how it happened at all, and gave them all towels and hot chocolates.

In the car the atmosphere was very tense apart from the conversation between Dudley and Piers.

"Nearly bit my leg off…"

"Thought it was going to squeeze me to death…"

"How did we get in there anyway?"

"I saw Lyra talking to it, weren't you Potter?" said Piers to Lyra.

Uncle Vernon managed to control his temper for the rest of the journey and until Piers left. The second Piers departed Uncle Vernon launched himself at her and grabbed her hair.

"Owwww! Gerrof – it wasn't my fault I swear – GERROF!" Lyra tried to explain as he tried to rip her scalp off. "One minute the glass was there, the next it was gone -"

"HOW COULD GLASS JUST 'GO'?

"I-I don't know – it was just like magic -"

"DON'T YOU EVER SAY THAT WORD IN MY HOUSE EVER!" Roared Uncle Vernon, spitting in her face. This was one of the scariest experiences from Uncle Vernon she'd even been involved in.

He then threw her in her cupboard and locked her in.

"You won't have any meals for a week!" He said then stalked off in a high temper.

The impact had her covered in her shelves with everyone's shoes on – she just sat there in pain, depression and confusion and went to sleep trying to prevent tears – she hardly ever cried and she wouldn't give him out of anyone the satisfaction of starting now.


	4. The Dark Secret

Chapter 4 – The Dark Secret 

She awoke in the same place she went to sleep – it was the middle of the night and the Dursley's were probably all asleep.

"Ow!" she said to herself – she ached all over. How could she have possibly deserved this? She sat up and looked around her – destruction was the state the cupboard was in. She tried the door, it was unlocked. She opened it and limped out and then proceeded into the small kitchen and into the fridge, rummaging for some food. All she managed to find there was an apple and a cheese-string and she took them back to the cupboard with her and waited till morning. While she was sitting there thinking and trying to remember what happened all she could think of was hate towards the whole lot of them – she couldn't even find anything funny about the situation she was in like she usually did. How could she stand this any more? It was now officially reaching boiling point. Her whole life had gradually been getting worse these past few years and they now hated her more than ever.

What was she supposed to do – call Childline and say that she was nearly daily getting beaten up by her Uncle for doing what they believed was magic? No way. She just sat there and nibbled on her not allowed "breakfast" until morning.

First she heard alarms go off upstairs then a few groans and footsteps. The floorboards creaked as Dudley got out of bed and then everyone came down the stairs for breakfast. Aunt Petunia's face appeared at her door and all she said was,

"Out! Hurry up and help cook the breakfast, you'll find the bacon in the freezer, then you will come back here and stay well out of our way." Lyra just nodded in response – what choice did she have anyway? She was sick of this, but all that would happen is that it would get worse. Hmmm, maybe in future she should take up being an invisible, non-existent person as they obviously wanted her to be. She betted to herself that they wouldn't care if she died or got lost anyway.

After she cooked the breakfast she was ordered back to her cupboard again, all she could think to say under her breath in anger was,

"I hope they get a heart attack from too much bacon!" at that moment the letter box opened and five letters came sliding through onto the door mat.

"Get the post Dudley." said uncle Vernon, his mouth full of bacon.

"Why should I get it – make her do it!" Dudley pointed at Lyra and Uncle Vernon responded with a,

"Might as well, she's nearest – get the post, girl." She was already picking up the post by this time – she thought there was just no point in arguing with him- she'd probably just get a longer life sentence in the cupboard.

There was five letters, one a postcard from Uncle Vernon's sister Marge explaining that she was ill from some kind of foreign food – she couldn't have cared less. The other three were two bills and a magazine for Aunt Petunia. Hang on, she thought, this letter's weird – it's a sort of yellowy colour with wax on the back. Fascinated she turned it over while walking into the kitchen with the rest of the letters; she gave the bills, postcard and magazine to Uncle Vernon. On the fancy letter it said in very neat, fancy writing,

_Miss L Potter,_

_The Cupboard under the Stairs_

_4 Privet Drive_

_Little Whinging_

_Surrey_

She was gob-smacked! She'd just got this amazing letter, but whom from? She didn't have any friends or other relatives who'd write to her so who could it be from? She read it again – _The Cupboard under the Stairs!_ What kind of person would write that? How did they know? But before she could contemplate any further, uproar had started in the kitchen.

"Lyra's got a letter, Dad! Why don't I have one?"

"What? Lyra's got what, Diddykins?"

"She's got a letter!" Dudley replied to his mother.

"Give that to me right now!" said Uncle Vernon who seemed panicky. What was this letter? Who was it from to cause such panic towards her relatives? She was extremely confused but blinded by some strange desperation to keep this letter – an absolute must have and highness in importance to read this yellowish piece of parchment. The universe just seemed to revolve around this letter she suddenly thought bizarrely. She just snapped – all that anger she had kept hidden up inside her for the past 10 years rushed out in a sudden hurricane.

"NO WHY SHOULD I, IT'S MY LETTER! What have I ever done to deserve this?" Now she was just so fuming that she felt as though she would explode – she couldn't put anything into words anymore, all she could see was red and a flash of pain as Uncle Vernon grabbed her by the shoulders and shook her.

The funny thing was that when he did this he winced and jumped back in surprise. Even through all of Lyra's anger, confusion and frustration, she was also under a state of pure shock. What just happened? She thought to herself numbly – then it all clicked into place and…

_FLASH_

She found herself in a woman's arms hugging her tightly, screaming and crying and running away from a black-hooded figure walking over a dead man on the floor. A stabbing pain filled up into Lyra's heart and clogged up her throat – why? She felt some strange sympathy toward this man crumpled on the floor – then she got another quick vision: She was on a toy broom whizzing around the house being chased by the now not crumpled man who was laughing and clapping – next to him was the lovely woman who was hugging her now, gasping for breath and running. She was back in her mother's arms in a nursery being placed into a cot in the corner.

The Black-hooded man was fast approaching the cot and her mother began yelling at him,

"_P-p-please stop t-this! Ta-ke me not h-her! Please!"_

"Get out of my way you stupid woman or you shall both die."

"NOOOOO! Not my Lyra _no_! Take _me_ instead, take _me…"_

The man's cold laughter filled the room making Lyra's hairs stand on end. His voice sounded like pure evil itself, she marvelled at his voice, it was pure ice and fire, but yet it sounded so perfect and flawless, yet the scariest thing you could ever hear…

There was a flash of green light, a scream and a crumpled woman on the floor. Lyra felt numb, abandoned and empty. She stared at the man in front of her, and he stared back. She couldn't see his face, just his cloak. But even this one year old new that that wasn't her daddy in a costume playing another game with her. No, this was much more.

He pointed a thin, long stick thing at her with sparks coming out of the end and then everything became cold and slow and she found it hard to breathe and felt so miserable it was unbearable, then more cloaked shapes turned up in the nursery through broken windows and they all approached the cloaked man and opened their mouths and their rattling breaths filled the room. He pointed the long stick thing at her face quickly and said something then exploded backwards.

There was green light, a sucking, rattling breath and a weird stretching sensation in the room. And she knew no more.


	5. Mysterious Letter

Chapter 5 – Mysterious Letter

_**Lyra**_

"Wake up girl! WAKE UP!" What's this strange noise inside my head, I think…I don't want to wake up yet – what's the panic in the man's voice? I know lets try and go back to sleep…

SLAP!

"Arrgghhh! Ouch- what was that for?" ow – why's everyone staring at me? Oh. I remember and it's all coming back and oww my burn hurts so much – it feels like fire and ice shattering at the same time! Gosh I feel a bit dizzy and I have a bump next to my burn. What just happened – where's my letter?

"What have you done with my letter?" I croaked hoarsely my hand to my throbbing head.

"It's safely burning in the fire where it's supposed to be – now will you tell us what the RUDDY HELL is going on!" It's not a question but a demand.

"Yo-you did WHAT!?" I can't believe this, after all _that _realisation and my actual life laid out before me because of just one letter and it's in the fire! "GET IT OUT OF THERE!"

"No! Explain what's going on NOW girl!"

"I don't know-"

"How can you not know?"

"What haven't you told me about my parents!?" I demand spitting in my uncle's face – well he deserved it. They all did.

He wiped the spit of his face and stared at me before saying,

"What do you mean – your mother, Marisa and your father, Asriel, they died in a car crash and that's all you need to know-"

"They didn't!" I raged and I get up dizzily and run to my cupboard and pack all the little belongings I own and shove my bag pack over one shoulder.

"And what do you think you're doing?" Aunt Petunia interrupted.

"I'm leaving and I've had enough of your rubbish to last a lifetime!"

"How dare you!" Said uncle Vernon his pulse sticking out in his temple. "You should be grateful!"

"Grateful for all the lies you've given me, none of the truth, how you've treated me my whole life – you don't care about me and I don't care if I never see you again!" At that I slam the door into their shocked faces and run down the road in anger, frustration and mostly confusion – what _had_ just happened? Who was that black hooded figure who had murdered my parents and had tried to kill me nearly eleven years ago? Is he still live? Is he still looking for me? I'm just so shocked, afraid and confused… What am I going to do?

_**Lyra**_

At that moment an owl swooped down so low and landed on her shoulder startling her out of her wits – she nearly screamed out but held it in when she realised it was only an owl. Strangely it had an envelope in its beak. It's the same letter I got earlier, she thought! The grabbed it hungrily and tore it open looking at the letter intently and started to read:

_HOGWARTS SCHOOL OF WITCHCRAFT AND WIZARDRY_

_Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore_

_(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock, _

_Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)_

_Dear Miss. Potter, _

_We are plesed to inform you that you have a place at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment._

_Term begins on 1 September. We await your owl y no later than 31 July._

_Yours sincerely,_

_Minerva McGonagall_

_Deputy Headmistress _

Hell yes! That's all she could think of – she had so many questions to be answered but ignored them for the minute – she new she was different she just new it and would accept any thing unusual from now on as that seemed to be apart of her. She ignored the weirdness of it and wrote on a piece of paper from her bag:

**Dear Hogwarts, **

**Yes, I'd love to come and thank you so much for inviting me.**

**Yours sincerely,**

**Lyra Potter**

Oh my god was all she could think of. What just happened? This last day had been a complete and utter BLAST! Her life is madness! She gave the letter to the owl gingerly and watched it as it took off.

Where and what was she going to do now?


	6. An Unusual Man

Chapter 6 – An Unusual Man

She didn't even have time to think because at that moment a motorbike – the one that had nearly knocked them off of the road earlier, had just stopped in front of her making a great amount of noise. To make this even more extraordinary the man on top of the bike was gigantic!

The man got off the vehicle and looked around. When he spotted her he said,

"Ah and I s'pose you'd be y'ng Lyra Potter then?"

How on _earth _did he know that – now she was really scared. Hey wake up, she thought, you're not scared of _anything_ remember.

"Er, yes – how d'you know? Who are you?"

"Ah well I'm Rubeus Hagrid – ah, call me Hagrid, everyone does. I'm Keeper o' Keys 'nd Grounds at Hogwarts – you'll know all abou' Hogwarts o'course?"

"Wha-no. I've only just got the letter, like just a second ago and wow are you really – could you tell me more and how on earth am I supposed to get all this equipment. The Dursleys wouldn't allow it – could you please help me, er, Hagrid?" Loads of questions seemed to just come bursting forth out of her mouth. He was patient though and seemed like a nice fellow.

"O' course, tha's why I came – got sent by Professor Dumbledore 'imself. I'm glad you've go' the letter by the way 'cos I kinda lost it on the way." He chuckled in spit of himself. "good ol' Dumbledore – always go' another trick up 'is sleeve. Did u send n owl back by the way?" He said half to himself. This man seemed very friendly – the first friend she'd ever got.

"Yes I, er used the owl that gave me the letter. Er, why do you use owls anyway and how do you train them?"

"Ah, well they're clever'r than they look owls an' we use them instead of, er, what do you call them – ah yes, postimens?"

"Er, ok, not quite – Postmen. Cool, I like owls, me" She saw his face light up. Actually looking at him more closely she noticed that his height was waaay above a normal human beings and her big mouth just decided to open and rudely comment on this.

"Ah, well actually I'm a half-gian' really."

"Ok, is that normal?"

"Dunno really but nor'al in our world I guess."

The man was rocking on his toes by this point leaving a trace of a person with the air of having a nice afternoon tea in their back garden. He was massive as she's already discovered. He was also quite dark skinned and very hairy – hairy all over his face in fact and he was quite well-built, but had a friendly face when you got over the shock of his largeness. He was wearing a large overcoat that you could probably fit a horse in and his eyes gleamed among all the hair like beetles. She thought to herself that she'd just found a very good friend but was also thinking at the same time, 'what other things are going to be in store for me after this?'

"Righ' where d'ya live an' we can talk sum more."

"Er, I don' think my Aunt and Uncle would take too kindly to having a half giant come in the house – if you'd fit in through the front door that is."

"Ah o'course tha's to be expected. Well could you try to ge' them to cum outside then?" She didn't know what to do or say and wondered how this was going to work – she was dead for sure. This had all obviously come out on her face and he said. "It's alrigh' I can sort 'em out fine, no needa worry."

This reassured her a little and she led him down the road and back to number 4 Privet Drive. He waited outside the house while she went through the door to try and prise them out. She knew this was not going to be easy.

Their immediate reaction was to all start yelling at her like she was dog poo. She just stood there for a few seconds and was just about to talk to them when Hagrid's booming voice filled the house. Aunt Petunia screamed as she saw Hagrid trying to get through the front door.

"What the BLASES!" Uncle Vernon spluttered looking horrified although too scared to say much more.

"Oi, stop yelling at 'er, y'r givin' me a headache! What you all yelling at 'er for anyway?" he said still trying to get through the door.

"We have a right to yell at her for running off plus we are her guardians and who are you breaking and entering?" said Uncle Vernon now back to himself.

"Lyra, why didya run away? You could've go' hurt. Anyway I'm here to talk about some very importan' business with ya abou' young Lyra. May we talk? By the way I'm Rubeus Hagrid Keeper o' Keys an' Grounds at Hogwarts." Aunt Petunia flinched – so that was why they'd tried to keep the letter from me, she thought in anger.

"So that's why you wouldn't give me the letter – you knew what it was about!"

"You didn' give 'er the letter?!" Hagrid sounded angry. "Why not, how would it 'arm you?"

"She's not going." Uncle Vernon sounded firm and Lyra was so angry.

Hagrid grunted.

"I'd like to see a great muggle like you try to stop her, with the help o' me o'course." He winked at Lyra.

"Sorry but what's a muggle" Lyra said curiously.

"Non-magic folk" said Hagrid. "And these are the biggest o' them all an' I feel for you for 'aving to put up with 'em this long."

"We swore when we took her in we'd put a stop to all this rubbish," said Uncle Vernon angrily still staring at the giant man still attempting to get through the front door, "We swore that we'd stamp it out of her! Humph, a _Witch._" He said disgustedly.

"I can't believe you knew all this time but never once thought to tell me – well I hate you and if it weren't for Hagrid and this new life awaiting me I'd be long gone by now!" She said to her relatives. Dudley was just hiding behind the sofa staring at everyone and Petunia stood up as tall as she could manage and suddenly shrieked,

"_Knew!_ Of course we did my stupid sister being what she was and getting her stupid letter and every holiday bringing home frogspawn and making potions and doing stupid spells. She was a freak! But to my oh so perfect parents she was their angel, they were so proud when she got the letter and was top of the class at everything that dratted school had to offer. They were proud of having a witch in the family. And I had to live through all that! She took a quick breath and carried on, "Then she met Asriel Potter at school and he was just as bad – worse even and got married and had you who definitely was destined to turn out just as strange, just as – abnormal – and then if you please she got herself blown up and we are landed with you!"

"That's not how it happened!" Lyra shrieked staring her right in the face, "and that's my parents you're talking about – and me for that matter!"

"How do you know what happened anyway – we never told yo-"

"You never tol' her what happened to Marisa an' Asriel Potter! Tha's an outrage an' a scandal!"

"I know," Lyra said cutting Hagrid off, "because I have visions all the time and when I got that letter I saw the actual memory as clearly as if were real and not a dream. When I touched it and got shocked it all came back to me – I saw my parents die and felt the pain as this," She indicated her burn, "happened – you should have told me sooner!" she yelled as all the reality seemed to close in on her.

Everyone was looking at Lyra now but she didn't care – well, with the exception of the way Hagrid was looking at her – wasn't hat normal after all?

"Righ' now if ya don' mind I'll be taking Lyra with me as soon as possible ok, she's no business here any longer – you've all proved tha'." And with that Hagrid took his head out of the door frame and indicated for Lyra to go and grab all her stuff. She'd already got her stuff though and so followed him out of the door and into a brand new life.


	7. A New Life

A/N – I hope you like the story so far and please review. I'm finding this so fun! It's my first time doing this. Keep reading .

Chapter 7 -A New Life 

As Lyra walked into her new life with Hagrid she felt so happy and fascinated at everything new she saw or heard – everything was so new to her and she was so exited about going to Hogwarts.

They had stayed in a muggle hotel over night and Lyra had to help Hagrid with the money – he had quite a lot but obviously didn't realise he did so they got a good two rooms next to each other. Hagrid needed the space of a double bed (well actually he needed more but they don't have triple beds).

Lyra woke up to this annoying tapping on the window – oh no, she thought , that must be Aunt Petunia tapping on my cupboard door to wake me up. But I've had the most amazing dream, I don't want to wake up yet.

"Ok ok I'm coming!" she said out loud. She tried to refocus on the dream she had had – there had been a giant man that she had bumped into and made friends with that told off the Dursleys for the way they had been treating her. There was also this massive argument that included this mysterious letter that would take her to a magical school and funny visions that took over the scene a few times. Then she had taken off with her new giant friend – oh how she longed for this to be real.

Wait a minute. The bed didn't feel the same – it was waay too big to be able to fit into her small cupboard. So where was she? Wait a minute – that wasn't a dream – it was incontrovertibly real! She opened her eyes quickly in complete joy and excitement – this was actually all real!! She was actually a part of this new world and actually was going to Hogwarts. She was overjoyed!

_Tap tap!_

Ahh, now she remembered the reason for waking up – the tapping. She looked around the room carefully taking in every little detail. She had never gone on holiday to any place in her entire life – she hadn't even been to anyone else's house before apart from smelly old Mrs Figg's place which she had gone unwillingly every single year for as long as she could remember. Except this year of course.

Ahhh, she'd just fund the source of the tapping – wow it was what looked like a barn owl and it was holding a newspaper. It tapped again impatiently.

"Ok, I'm coming." She said to the owl – she could get quite used to these owls visiting. They were so cute she thought – funny, she'd never thought anything was cute before.

She opened the window and the owl came shooting in and landed lightly on her bed and stuck out it's foot and waited impatiently…again.

She didn't have a clue what to do so she quickly got up and went knocking on Hagrid's door for advice – was she supposed to pay it? Did the magical society have different money that she would have to learn to use? She supposed so, after all Hagrid did need help sorting out the money for these rooms – although he didn't exactly look like the brightest pebble on the beach.

She heard him get up and come towards the door and unlock it.

"Oh, hi Lyra – you're up early." He said sleepily, "Are you OK, is there something you wanted?"

"Er, yes, there's an owl in my room – it had a newspaper – do I need to pay it?"

"Oh yes, I told 'em ter send you a paper – I thought you'd be int'rested in our ones – ya see they have dif'rent news 'nd moving pictures ya see. Muggles don't 'av moving pictures do they?"

"No, wow, cool. Do you use different money then?"

"Ahh yes forgot ter say – gosh ya don' know the money yet do ya? OK there're 29 knuts in 1 sickle an' 17 sickles in 1 galleon. Got tha'?"

"Just about but where do I get the money from?"

"Here, have a rummage." Hagrid said passing her his oversized coat. "Yer needa give it 5 knuts. Those small bronze ones."

"Ok." She said taking out 5 of the small bronze coloured coins – they were so different from the money she was used to.

She went back to her room but realized that she'd left the key inside – she wasn't used to this at all! She panicked. Luckily Hagrid was still there and he said.

"Ah, have you left yer key inside?" Lyra nodded. "Don' worry I've go' a few tricks up my sleeve." He took out a large flowery, pink umbrella, made a funny movement then aimed it at the key hole – it clicked open and she thanked him bemused yet somewhat amazed and thrilled then proceeded inside. She walked towards the owl and it made an impatient shrieking sound and held out it's leg arrogantly.

"Shhhh, you'll wake up the hotel." she old it – first snakes then this, maybe she was going mad, she thought to herself confused. She placed the coins into the pouch and the owl dropped the paper and nibbled her finger affectionately then took off back out of the window.

She got dressed quickly exited at what today would bring and then waited for Hagrid to be ready.

When he was ready she asked,

"Are we having breakfast here?"

"Yer why not, should be interesting having muggle food an' service."

"And decent food and some luxury for once – I'v never been anywhere out before apart from the zoo." She explained.

"Didn't yer get any decen' food at home then?"

"No, in fact I didn't realy get given anything to eat at all." He frowned looking slightly annoyed.

"Those Dursleys." He muttered under his breath, then, "Don't worry we 'ave some excellent food at Hogwarts – feasts an' all." He said cheerfully. If he still enjoyed the thought of Hogwarts now then she'd never get bored of this amazing place like she did others – I guess it's not every day that you go to a magical school though – not for someone like her anyway, she thought.

They got a nice fancy little table next to the window in the restaurant – luckily it was quite empty so they could talk freely about this new pending importance that she just simply had to know more about. She asked him,

"Where can I get money from? I don't have any so how will I be able to pay for my stuff?"

"What? You don' needa worry 'bout tha' Lyra and anyway d'yeh 'onestly think yer parents didn't leave yeh anything?"

"But the house got destroyed I saw-"

"They didn't keep their gold in the house! Nah, our firs' stop is ter the Bank, fer Wizards. Hey eat up there's plenty here – go'on 'ave a sausage!"

"Wizards and witches have banks?" she asked intrigued, this was so fascinating!

"Yeah, co'rse they do, just the one mind, Gringotts it's called – run by goblins."

She almost chocked on her sausage, she forgot about other magical creatures.

"What, _real_ goblins?"

"Course yeah – you'd be absolutely mad ter rob it as yer don' wanna get on the wrong side o' 'em. Far safer than your banks mind. Don't want ter ever mess with goblins Lyra – take tha' on mind."

"Sounds like the safest place in the world then." Lyra said hungry for more.

"Yeah, suppose it is if yer want ter keep anything safe – prob'ly not safe if we were in there though. Dragons an' all sorts. The only place safer fer humans an' all is Hogwarts. Talking abou' Gringotts 'ive gotta visit Gringotts anyway fer Dumbledore – Hogwarts stuff ya see." He smiled at her and she smiled back in response. She was so nervous yet so exited about this new world and amazing school – she just simply couldn't wait!

"Good ol' Dumbledore," continued Hagrid, "always gives the most importan' jobs ter me – trusts me yer see. Getting things from Gringotts an' takin' care o' you." He chuckled in spite of himself and she couldn't help but giggle too – he made her laugh, she enjoyed Hagrid's company very much. "Righ' then off we go – lots ter do an' buy today. Got all yer stuff – good lets go then."

They got up then left for London both very happy and exited for what today would bring.

A/N - Hope you like it so far, please review. Sorry if I'm made little typing errors. (Oh btw Hagrid's speech is supposed to have typing errors) I'd be happy for some advice and compliments and perhaps new ideas too. The story is now just about to kick off hopefully in the next few chapters – I'm trying to develop this story into a mixture of others you see once I get to a certain point. I don't want it to be too much the same as the original book – the beginning is a bit but I promise that soon it will follow its own storyline . Bit longer this time.

Quill-inkPantalaimon

xxx


	8. Suspicious

Chapter 8 - Suspicious

As they walked down a street in London, Lyra decided to get the unusual newspaper out and have a good look at it. She got it out and gasped – Hagrid was right, the pictures did actually move! She gazed amazed at the people talking in the pictures and moving – this was brilliant! This new world was truly amazing!

She read the first passage on the front cover under the heading:

**MINSTRY WORKERS FAIL TO OBTAIN SUSPECTED DEATH EATERS STILL AT LARGE**

The first paragraph said:

_Yesterday morning at Godric's Hollow two men were found lurking causing wreckage and havoc to the occupants living there. They have been suspected as Death Eaters judging by their behaviour and dress. They were wearing long dark cloaks and black masks and were behaving suspiciously. If anyone knows any information regarding these mysterious actions then let us know in the usual way by owl…_

"Hagrid?", she asked curiously.

"Hugh?" Hagrid replied.

"You didn't mention that there was a ministry?" she said phrasing it as a question.

"Oh yeah o'course there is. We 'ave a Minis'ry o' Magic y'no."

"Really they have a magical one?" Lyra asked fascinated – this was just simply getting better by the second…

"Yea, yugh don' no much do ya?"

"Well no I didn't know any of this stuff until you told me about it all." Said Lyra.

"Oh, yer no they wanted Dumbledore fer Minister, o' course, but he'd never leave 'ogwarts, so Cornelius Fudge took the job. Great job 'e's doing so far though." He chuckled to himself then continued, "thanks ter Dumbledore though – sends 'im owls every mornin' askin' fer advice!"

"Oh, well, what does a Ministry Of Magic actually do?"

"Well the usual, really – run the wizarding world I guess, keep it from the muggles and to still 'ave wizards 'an witches up 'an do'un the country."

"But why do we have to keep hidden?" Lyra asked confused.

"Blimey, Lyra they'd all be wanting to ask so many questions 'nd make us do their biddin' an' stuff – believe me it's best ter keep 'em out – or they'd freak o' course.."

She hadn't thought of that.

As they walked down the street toward the station people kept staring at them – probably because Hagrid was double their height, she couldn't blame them though. Hagrid also kept pointing at ordinary things such as ticket boxes, post boxes and parking metres and saying so everyone could hear, "See that, Lyra? The things muggles come up with now days, eh?" She nodded panting to keep up with him.

They turned into the station and got their tickets to board the train (Lyra again had to help Hagrid with the money). They clambered on, Hagrid having to duck on the way in and take up nearly four seats to himself, giving himself more looks from people.

"If there's a Ministry then is there a prison or do they just use normal ones?" said Lyra suddenly, yet another bubble of curiosity escaping her lips – she just had so many questions to be answered.

"Gosh no, Lyra they wouldn't just put our crimin'ls in those prisons – they'd escape easily an' the muggles wouldn' think of takin' their wands away anyway. We 'av our own an'it's the most horrible place you could ever know about – on an island an' as high up inter the sky above the clouds – massive prison 'nd it's all fer the magical world – Death Eaters an' such crim'nals get sent there all the time, even though You-know-Who's not around anymore. Place's called Azkaban Prison."

"Azkaban?"

"yea." Hagrid replied.

"Who's You-Know Who? And what's a Death Eater?"

"Er, I don't think I should be the one ter tell you that-"

"-please Hagrid." Said Lyra fluttering her eyelashes at him to get her way.

"Well, Death Eaters are You-Know-Who's followers yer see an' You-Know-Who is the 'orrib'list an' evilist wizard ter ever walk the Earth."

"Why'd you call him 'You-know-who'?"

"'Cos yer just don' speak 'is name, no-one does yer see, scared the most of 'em."

"Gosh, he sounds bad, so what is he actually called or don't you know?" Hagrids eyes flashed with something… fear? No could it be? She was officially freaked out by this person. Not that she would be scared of him, she would never let this bloke get the better of her- never.

"I do but I won' ever speak 'is name, never, Lyra. You won' believe wha' he has done in 'is life, murdering an' tourturing people and forcing people ter work fer him through torture and makin' the world a horrid place."

"He sounds like a mass murderer."

"Well I guess he is – the wors' ever one you'll get."

"Well why don't they just get the police and go chasing after him and take him to this prison then? I mean that's what you do to criminals in your world don't you?"

"It's not tha' simple Lyra-"

"What? Is he just exceptionally good at hiding or something?"

"..er…something like tha'…"

Lyra was under the impression he was hiding a lot from her about this guy…and he refused to even say his name – what? Weird how someone could get to you like that. She would just refuse to let that happen to her. He obviously wanted to change the subject, but she wasn't going to forget this..she would get it out of him soon enough..she wasn't a failure and she would not give up!

"So where are we going?" she asked as the train came to a stop and they walked off the train following the crowd to the exits.

"Jus' a Pub I like and through the pub, you'll like Tom, the barman, great guy."

"Cool, hey am I still underage in your world for a drink of Wine or Beer?"

"Lyra! Yeah you are still too young – an' wha's wine?"

"Er..doesn't matter, just some alcoholic drink, what do you like drinking? Vodka?"

"Vodka? Er no I like me some Firewiskey, I think you'll like Butterbeer, best thing fer people yer age – I still love it!"

"Ah great! I've gotta try some of that!" She said excitedly – wow this sounded great to her! This sounded so exotic and new and she was loving every minute of this!

They were now walking down a narrow, cobbled street and were making there way to a small building that Lyra wouldn't have noticed if Hagrid hadn't pointed it out to her. They stepped into the pub.

The moment they walked in there all the occupants turned and stared and all of a sudden Lyra felt self-conscious. They proceeded to walk up to the barman and as they did so a few opened there mouths and gasped or turned to whisper to their neighbours. What was going on? Did she have her flies undone?

"Er, Hagrid what's going on? Why's everyone staring?"

Before he could answer her the barman spoke.

"Morning Hagrid, the usual I presume?"

"Er, not terday Tom, I'm on official 'ogwarts business."

The barman smiled and looked down at me over the counter and then all of a sudden his facial expression changed from cheerful to shock then his face became completely overjoyed and curious.

"Bless my soul! It's Lyra Potter!"

_**Lyra **_

I gasped – how could he possibly know that? What's going on…first Hagrid, then this, is everyone psychic in this world or what? People around us started to stare even more, some walked out of the pub in a hurry others stood up a walked towards me and Hagrid. Someone shook my hand without my warning – I jumped.

"What an honour to meet you young Lyra, welcome back." Said an old man with a funny hat...b saying that everyone seems to be wearing funny clothes, this guy seemed friendly.

"Just call me Dedalus Diggles."

"Er, okay.." I said, I just stood there and didn't have a clue what to say or do. If I didn't know any better (and I most certainly didn't) then I would have thought that somehow I was famous – isn't this how fans reacted around celebrities?

Then all of a sudden my attention was taken off all of the 'fans' of my for-nothing famousness as the bells on the door tinkled it's tune and a new figure came into the pub…this woman was different, more well off than the others in here yet she didn't look too happy. And when she saw me she gave a sneer and stalked right up to me and was in my face and everything. Her bright electric-blue eyes bored into mine and I stared just as fiercely back into hers – what is this anyway, make Lyra go crazy day? Well it wasn't gonna work, not in my determined mind. Her hair whipped around my face in the wind from the still open door like tongues from a flame, her hair was bright red. Now all of a sudden I was confused…dead confused, this did not look like a fan.

"So, _your_ back eh? The _famous_ Lyra Potter that saved our world from the evilest Lord to walk the world." I stared gob smacked at her – what, I saved? What evil Lord, give me a break – what is this anyway? I decided not to open my mouth, I didn't trust my voice - before I said something stupid – what does she mean I've come back, where have I been? Wait a second, is this what Hagrid was talking about – that man that no-one spoke of? OH MY GODDESS. No wonder he seemed awkward.

At my silence she sneered again and turned round to look at everyone, now more people were beginning to exit the building, I didn't blame them.

"Horray, she's back! Big deal, the Dark Lord never left us anyway, he WILL be back, as long as I live and the Magisterium will rule over everyone once again and will overpower the Ministry for ever!"

_*Thoughts to self:_

_this woman is CRAZY_

_scary crazy_

_and what the HELL does this have to do with me anyway?_

_What the hell is the Magisterium? _

_I guess that's all to be figured out…* _

I looked again at the newspaper again out of curiosity as though it could give me the answers to these ever troubling questions and looked at the bottom of the page where I was… another interesting heading…

**GOBBLERS BACK TO ATTACK**

Then I looked at the opening sentences.

_The child snatchers are regretfully back on track looking for the one that has stopped it all, the girl that saved us all and the other that shocked us all by his disappearance. In our rights we have to save them as they saved us and not let the General Oblation Board get the better of us and get their hands on these innocent children. The Twins WILL be safe once more._

Then I looked at the writer's name at the bottom of the page : _Article written by Samantha Hornigton_

And then I returned to the front page where I vaguely remember reading that name and found the heading:

**SAMANTHER HORNIGTON WRITER OF DAILY PROPHET FOUND DEAD**

"Suspicious…" I said to myself under my breath.

Then Hagrid intervened into the 'speech'.

"An' who d'you think you are?"

"I am Lily Coulter from the Magisterium and I am going to take this child."


	9. Mrs Coulter and mysterious red heads

A/N – I hope this is now beginning to sound good! Keep reading and I hope you're enjoying it – please review! (Oh and sorry if there is any more typing errors lol I think I found one on the last chapter on the name Samantha) :D

Chapter 9 – Mrs Coulter and mysterious red heads

My mouth gaped open without me telling it to as she called behind her and black figures came through the door and made their way over to where I was standing. I just stood there frozen, unthinking and defenceless – they had wands, I did not. This was now getting very confusing.

Hagrid tried to block them away from me but their magic was too great and they all (with a great effort) blasted him to the side – and I still stood there like a lame goldfish.

*_Is this the Gobblers that steal children?_

_No, of course they can't be, they're just some stupid freaky people that want to take you away._

_Yeah?_

_Good point.*_

As I was mentally trying to stop myself from having an argument – yeah I am mad, I managed to think up something quick.

*_I think I've worked out something._

_Good for you – what?_

_Doesn't matter now lets do this thing!_

_Hugh?_

_RUN! *_

As fascinating as a magical fight was and how different and extra scary it was – I had to get the HELL out of there NOW as I was right in the middle of it! I stepped backwards, but as I did someone yanked me back by my hair, and believe me it HURT. It was her, the psycho, crazy woman that had just proved she hated me with unknown venom.

"Where is he Potter – I know you know – I want both of you dead!"

*_OMG, this is now becoming extremely violent!_

_Hide your children now and don't read if you are under 12!_

_Shut up Lyra._

_Argh PANIC!_

_Wait a sec – whose 'he'?_

_And why does she want me and 'he' dead?_

_My head hurts!_

_:O! The TWINS in the paper – NO!*_

"What? I don't know what you mean!"

*_The pain!*_

"Oh so you _can _talk." Her voice was dripping in sarcasm. "Of course you know who he is you stupid girl!"

I tried to match her tone to tell her that I was unafraid of her.

"How am I supposed to know where 'he' is anyway – I don't even know who 'he' is."

She pulled my hair tighter still – I was pretty used to this by now however, this was no different to what Dudley and his gang did to me every day at school. Furthermore I had had practice getting out of those situations; however these people were powerful magicians. Okay time to start thinking out a plan.

"No matter, if you really don't know where he is then you won't have as long to live."

She finally let go of my hair. FREEDOM!...nearly. This was my chance, I quickly ducked under their legs and out through the open door and down the street – one of my better qualities, running as I've had so much practice from Dudley. Of course they got the message straight away and are now on my tail.

*_Hmm I wonder whether I can do that freaky roof thing now..._

_Don't try._

_Why not?_

_Dunno._

_Helpful.*_

I ran for as long as I could until something appeared in my way up ahead then all I saw was a red head and then suddenly felt sick and had a strange pulling feeling around my navel. Then – I landed.

I landed in an old-fashioned kitchen, on the floor. God I felt dizzy…woah – what just happened? There was a pan and brush nearby doing the washing up by itself…I should've known – magic. I scrambled up – where am I? I looked around and saw a strange clock with loads of red heads on each hand – instead of numbers around the edge of the clock it had places like: Home, Lost, Work etc or it had: Mortal Peril which one of the hands had just been on a second ago but was now going toward the Home…thing. The woman on the hand was standing right next to me now staring at me. I turned toward her.

"Hello dear, sorry about that, I must have frightened you to death. I am Molly Weasley and it was Hagrid that summoned me to come and help you out. Would you like anything dear? Food? Hot chocolate? You must have had quite a shock.

*_yes I did, thanks for telling me*_

"Er, no, I'm fine thank you. I…can you please explain to me what happened?"

"Oh yes, sorry dear. I came to get you and brought you back by Apparition."

"Apparition?"

"Yes, Hagrid said you'd be a bit clueless about our world still. As you've seen it takes you from one place to the other. Don't worry, we'll look after you, think of me as a mother and a friend. I've got some children you can get to know; they'll be around here somewhere… you'll be safe here with us, we'll sort everything out and we'll all go and get Hogwarts equipment tomorrow dear through the Flu Network instead so we can avoid The Leakey Cauldron."

Ah so that was the name of the pub – I remember seeing that hanging up now. She seems great – I seem to be making a lot of friends fast recently – and a lot of enemies too… 

"Oh, right – thanks very much Mrs Weasley, I really appreciate that. Sorry but what's the Flu Network?"

"It's another way of travelling, dear, you'll see."

No sooner had she said that the fire place lit up into flames and a red haired man stepped out of the fire place. I jumped out of my skin!

"Afternoon Arthur, and try not to give our new guest a heart attack – she's been through enough already without all that."

"Oh sorry, but that's why I came back early – I heard about Lyra and that Coulter woman, so I came as quickly as possible."

Out of the corner of my eye I saw the hand with 'Arthur' on go from work to home on the magic clock – cool.

"Er, sorry but how do people know who I am?"

"Gosh she really is clueless, molly." Said who I assumed was Mr Weasley. Mrs Weasley nodded at him with a sad expression on her face.

"What do you know, dear?"

"Nothing about myself, apart from I've just found out how my parents died through a vision that was sprung upon me through my Hogwarts letter."

They exchanged looks of concern and shock. So I take it this is not normal then.

"And you…uh, don't know anything other than that then, Lyra?" asked Mr Weasley.

"No, I honestly don't – why, is there more I need to know?"

*_What a stupid question Lyra!_

_What?_

_Of course there's more – how confusing is this – and who's 'he' and 'You-Know-Who'?_

_Oh yeah*_

They both exchanged a glance again, but at that moment a small girl with red hair came running down the stairs, about a year younger than me actually. Ooh that reminded me – it's my birthday today and I forgot! Silly me, I'm now 11! She went to her mum, unseeing me.

"Mummy, have you seen my jumper?"

"Yes dear, it's on the cat."

ON the cat? Then the girl saw me, her eyes widened and she ran back up the stairs faster than she had come down. Oh, that was a bad start.

"What did I do?" I asked, confused.

"You didn't do anything, dear, I expect you just gave her a bit of a fright." Mrs Weasley said.

"Why would I give her a fright?"

"You say you don't know anything?" Mr Weasley questioned me.

He came and sat across from me on the other side of the table and then looked at me with something unsure in his eyes.

"Well, no I don't but Hagrid mentioned some stuff about someone called 'You-Know-Who' and then that Coulter person mentioned the 'Dark Lord'. Are they the same…person?"

"Ah…yes that is the same person, and that would probably be a good place to start." Said Mr Weasley standing up, picking up his wand and pointing it at the kettle – the kettle started to boil – wow!

"So who is this person?"

"This person is one of the evillest wizards to walk the Earth…no-one speaks his name in fear of what might come if they did – people fear him that much. Some believe that he is now dead…others reckon he's still out there somewhere, too tired to carry on. 10 years ago today he went missing when on one of his usual killing sprees. He was after something different this time however – not just to kill or torture for information or just for the sake of it – but for another purpose. He went to a house in Godric's Hollow in search of someone – we don't know why. The house he went to contained a family of four – a mother, a father and their twin babies, a boy and a girl both only just one year old. Apart from the boy was nowhere to be found at the time of the incident."

*_that would explain why I don't remember him_

_How do you know they are talking about you?_

_The vision- this is what I remember happening, in a minute I'm gonna get saved by my parents_

_And they'll die._

_Yeah*_

"And so he came after you Lyra." He said realising that I knew the rest from my vision. "Your father and mother died in the attempt of trying to save you. But something happened that night that stopped him, Lyra, again no-one is sure why, but something about you stopped him. Knowing that there was going to be an attack the ministry sent Dementors from Azkaban Prison after him, I don't know whether they found him or not but-"

"They did." I interrupted, "I remember seeing these big black creatures – were they them? They sound horrible…_were _horrible and made me feel so miserable... and is that how I got this burn?" I asked pointing to the permanent wound on my forehead.

"Yes, we believe so." Mr Weasley said.

"So how do people know me then?"

"For bringing down the evillest wizard of all time and saving us just as an infant." Mrs Weasley explained.

"So who is this other person then? I didn't realise I had a twin brother!"


	10. Harry Potter

A/N: What do you think so far then? Thanks so much for the people that like my story so far and I'm soo sorry that I've taken forever to upload the last chapters, but hopefully you'll enjoy them all the same . I've really enjoyed writing this however hard it is to remember everything, but as the story is starting to turn into something it's getting easier. Thanks and sorry again.

Quill-inkPantalaimon xx

Chapter 10 – Harry Potter

Mr and Mrs Weasley exchanged yet another look of concern…and of something else – anger? Why would they be angry? It looked like the same sort of anger Hagrid had with the Dursleys – was this for the same reason? Were they also angry at the Dursleys for not telling me? This was all far too weird…and far too much. Everyone new everything…if more about me than I myself did! To be honest I just felt like completely breaking down or pretending to be someone else! Argh my head hurt!

This must have shown on my face as they both looked yet more concerned and a little put out at my lovely new complexion. So I repeated again.

"I didn't realise I had a twin brother."

"What? You've never been told – never seen him?" Mr Weasley asked me, slightly shocked, it seemed.

"Not at all. I didn't realise I had any family left apart from the Dursleys. So where's this brother of mine then? What happened to him?"

"Well, that's just it – no-one knows exactly what happened, or where he disappeared to…we assumed that when you defeated him that you went to wherever your brother disappeared to…obviously not. And what's weirder is exactly why and how he disappeared and then you defeated the evilest sorcerer of all time! It's just maddening and thinking about it makes my head hurt. This seemed so impossible – at 1 year old too!"

I felt my face frown – so great, now me and my unknown brother are both a mystery, famous and scaring the living daylights out of everyone…and obviously giving them too much to think about – and yet they all know more than me! Definitely maddening! And I expect they want me to come up with all the answers! I don't have a clue who I am anymore – this is weird – I don't remember ANY of this happening! Apart from that vision…and to think, I thought it was a car crash! I thought I was a normal person! Pa! No wonder the girl was afraid of me. I frowned further at the thought.

"Well, I don't have a clue and to be perfectly honest this is exhausting me a lot and I don't like it. I didn't know about any of this until now and I thought I was a normal kid in a normal world but no – not only am I magic, if that isn't just weird enough on it's own, but I am famous and marked for death all of a sudden too AND I've got an unknown brother out there too assuming he's not dead – this is absolutely great!" Sarcasm dripped thick and sticky off my words and they were probably beginning to not like me much now…I felt completely confused and thoroughly miserable. Hey, maybe when I wake up this will all be a dream!

Instead of being angry at me however the two Weasley's looked sympathetic and now guilty. Now I felt guilty! Oh sweet god!

"I'm so sorry – this is all just far too much at the minute – and please don't blame it on yourselves for telling me – I wanted to know – still do! But I just wish this was a dream and not real, just give me time to take all this in."

I sat there for a minute with them looking at me and thought about all I'd heard, learnt and tried to make sense of it all. When I had, I forced a smile and said.

"Right, thank you so much for helping me and telling me – it's best to be aware I think, just know that I am still a bit unsure about all of this – but, hey, I'm getting there! Thank you so much for saving me Mrs Weasley and I'd love to see your family. I'm so sorry if I've been of any inconvenience at all, but it is hard." I smiled a sad smile.

They both nodded and mirrored my smile.

"That's quite all right dear, it can't be easy." Mr Weasley nodded in agreement to his wife's remark.

"er…before I meet the rest of your family," I took a small breath to smile at them, "Can I ask just one more thing?"

"Of course – we're here to help!" Mr Weasley smiled at me a warm smile that made me trust them with my life – I new where I could go (besides Hagrid also) if I needed any questions or queries answered. I smiled back.

"What's my brothers name?" I shared another sad smile with them. Then in unison they said,

"His name's Harry Potter."

_**Lyra**_

While Lyra and the Weasleys were conversing they were unaware that a small red headed girl was spying on them from the top of the staircase. She was intrigued and yet scared but she didn't know why – would this amazing girl be her new friend?

But what this young girl did not realise and what Lyra and the Weasley parents did not know was that a dark figure was moving outside with a crescent moon tattoo on it's head and next to it a mysterious, black covered creature with human eyes and a beak, whirling as if caught in a gust of wind. Then in the twinkle of their eyes they had vanished from sight leaving the girl on the stairs to keep peeking through the banisters at the three in the kitchen of the Burrow.


	11. The Weasleys

A/N - Wow! I've had my authors cap on recently! And all the ideas I'm getting too! Way to go methinks! I hope you're enjoying it so far – I do believe it's starting to kick off and I'm getting excited about this story now! Please enjoy and I hope you have enjoyed up to now and keep reading – I said it would kick off soon…and hopefully I'm beginning to create a good impression. Maybe I'll get to writing some others soon too. Hmm what about one where I can involve you lot! Please review, that would really help and make my day! Also give your opinions about what I could put into my new reader 'interactive' story – what you want to happen etc! So tuck in!

Chapter 11 - The Weasleys

By the time they had finished conversing it was getting late and they all had a hot chocolate and decided to turn in. Lyra still couldn't believe what was happening in her life and was still struggling to get to terms with it but accepted it and carried on as if nothing unusual was happening in her life. She'd enjoyed her time with the Weasleys so far and so when she woke up in their spare room in their comfy bed the next day she new it was all real – but hey! Apart from all that weird stuff, this was all better than being boring and sleeping in a dusty old cupboard!

She decided to look on the bright side as she slid out of bed still fully clothed in the stuff she'd been wearing the day before to find all her belongings she'd took from the Dursley's yesterday when Hagrid took her from them, lying neatly on the end of her bed. She smiled to herself not sure exactly why she felt so much better so quickly. Though all of this horror, she seemed to be getting somewhat a better life out of it in the meantime. And even if she didn't necessarily want to be famous for destroying an evil wizard – hey! Everyone wants to be famous, she thought, and here she was still famous…even for that awful reason.

Just then a banging noise was heard from upstairs and clatter and then she heard the screech of an owl and a yell from Mrs Weasley from downstairs.

"For Gods sake, what are they getting up to this time!"

Then there was laughter and Lyra walked out of her door being the usual nosy being she was to find out what was going on. Then two fairly tall boys (with bright red hair) came running down the stairs completely identical with the same grin spread across their faces. And then they saw Lyra just as another explosion went off in what Lyra could tell was their room where they had just come from. Then there was silence.

Through their confused faces they still obviously found Lyra's expression quite amusing and began to laugh again.

"Oh don't worry," the first twin said, "its just a little invention of ours."

"Yeah," the other one grinned, "just a little project for school." They both chuckled for a second until Mrs Weasley came up the stairs to stop their fun.

"And what do you think you're doing creating more of your stupid experiments this early in the morning?" Mrs Weasley looked concerned and annoyed.

Then there were footsteps from yet another floor up and another red head popped out of no-where – where were all these coming from? Lyra thought bizarrely.

"Mother what is going on? It's not those two again is it? I've got lots of work to do for my exams this next year as it is – I need my sleep…and my seine head for that matter as well, I do not have enough time for silly behaviour at the moment."

"Okay Percy, don't worry, get back to what you were doing, I'll sort them out." Mrs Weasley said taking them all back down to the kitchen.

"So you are probably wondering who this is." Mrs Weasley assumed facing the twins.

The twins nodded then looked properly at Lyra and gasped.

"Is it really you?" one of the twins asked. Then the other said,

"Lyra Potter – really?"

"er…yes."

"No way!" The second said.

"Um…yeah I'm standing right here funnily enough." Lyra was finding his very strange but she liked these two – they seemed to be right up her street.

"But…how?" the first asked, then he gazed at his mother for an answer.

"I had to go and bring her here on Hagrid's orders – they were in a spot of trouble with that Coulter woman."

"Woah, you're great at getting yourself into trouble then, aren't you? Maybe we could get some tips from her, eh George?"

"Indeed." The first twin called George replied. They snickered silently to themselves.

"Mmm, well some people are unfortunate to get into unwanted trouble without meaning to." When Mrs Weasley saw they didn't stop sniggering she added, "This is no laughing matter, you two. All you do is spend your whole lives getting into ridiculous trouble – on purpose, just for the fun of it!"

The twins exchanged a look and attempted to hide their smirks – these two were really quite funny, Lyra thought, amused.

Just then the red-haired girl came clattering down the stairs and sat right next to where Lyra had just sat down at the kitchen table with a steaming hot chocolate in front of her.

"H-hello." The girl said to Lyra, "I'm Ginny, n-nice to meet you." The girl gave a weak smile that Lyra instantly returned.

"Hello Ginny I'm Lyra, it's great to meet you too."

The twins exchanged yet another glace and one of them (she couldn't tell who) said,

"Aren't you gonna ask why she's here Gin?"

"No, I, er, kind of met her last night." Ginny said awkwardly.

No sooner had Ginny finished speaking there was yet another creak from the staircase and the boy called Percy also joined the rabble – this was amazing Lyra thought, thoroughly enjoying meeting all these interesting magical people all from the same magical family!

"Morning, all, how is everyone then?" Percy asked the room.

Everyone mumbled a chorus of fines and Okays and Percy nodded and sat down the other side of Lyra. Mrs Weasley placed a plate of Kippers in front of them all – wow Lyra thought. Percy then turned to face her.

"Oh, hello, and who might you be? I'm Percy by the way." He smiled and extended his hand for her to shake. This made Lyra feel just slightly uncomfortable – he was completely opposite to the twins…nice, but so formal, she thought.

"Oh, hi, I'm Lyra."

"Surely not Lyra _Potter_?" Percy's face shone up.

"Yes, that would be me, it's nice to meet you, Percy."

"Yes, yes, you too. So how have you been recently – I suppose you've just got your letter to Hogwarts then?"

"Oh, er, yes I have – and I can't wait to go! Is it good there?" Lyra's eyes filled with excitement just hearing the name.

"Fantastic! Spiffing, old crumb, in fact completely top-notch! One of the _highest_ standard of course, eh Perc'?" One of the twins answered instead of Percy, speaking in a very mocking tone, picking up Percy's formal manor. Both the twins grinned broadly at this and Ginny looked like she was trying to suppress a giggle and even Mr Weasley had to hide back behind his newspaper in order not to laugh.

"That's quite enough from you two, now sit down and eat some breakfast; we're all going for a trip to Diagon Alley today." Said Mrs Weasley placing yet another plate of food onto the table in front of them all – this time it was sausages – Lyra's mouth watered hungrily.

They all tucked in as yet _another_ red-haired Weasley walked down the stairs making less noise than the others had. He took one glance at Lyra and gasped.

"You're Lyra aren't you? Lyra Potter? I'm Ron Weasley." He added when she nodded and smiled at him. He smiled back, a great, cheery, comforting smile most like his mother's out of all the siblings. She liked the look of Ron very much – he seemed great. He looked about her own age, actually, which probably helped things.

Ron sat opposite her with a broad smile on his face as he tucked into his breakfast.

"So, um, why are you with us? How'd you get here? Don't tell me, Hagrid?" She nodded

"Thought so." Ron added.

"Do you know him then?" Lyra asked him.

"Er, not really, but will do soon when I go to Hogwarts." He appeared just as cheery about the prospect of Hogwarts as she was, and yet, he'd lived his whole life with magic and still wasn't bored of it – amazing!

"So, er, what was that 'experiment' thing you were making then?" Lyra asked the twins curiously as a teapot floated around the table pouring tea into people's empty mugs.

Just when they started to open their mouths to reply Mrs Weasley interrupted them.

"Oh don't tell me it's another exploding toilet seat, or…or a new version of Gobstones that explodes instead of Gobbing? And don't tell me that you're planning on delivering a broken toilet seat you've dislodged from it's toilet from school either." She gave them both a stern expression.

"Awwh, are you sure mum?" One of them asked. She ignored them.

"I'm sorry Lyra but we cannot reveal anything yet – you may know later…" The other said winking at her.

Lyra went back to her breakfast feeling immensely hungry having all this amazing food placed in front of her and the excitement of the use of magic in this house – there was knitting ,knitting itself in the corner of the room, a bowl washing itself up in the sink and a mop mopping the floor – OMG, she thought!

Ron coughed clearing his throat then turned to face her.

"So, do you really have the…burn then?"

"Ronald!" Mrs Weasley exclaimed.

"What, I was only asking-"

"Leave our poor guest alone." Mrs Weasley snapped at her son, finality in her words. Lyra ignored this.

"No, it's all right." Lyra said and pulled her fringe out of her eyes.

"Wow." Ron said as he surveyed it in awe. Lyra grimaced.

"Right now, hurry up everyone it's nearly time to go to Diagon Alley." At Mrs Weasley's words they all finished eating and got their stuff ready to depart – Lyra was looking forward to this…or so she hoped.


	12. Diagon Alley

Chapter 12 – Diagon Alley

Once everyone was all ready and set to go they queued up and one by one yelled their destination into the fireplace that then took them off to that destination via a large green flame. By the time it was Lyra's turn she was both scared and excited – a magic way of travelling! But she didn't fancy getting burnt.

Seeing Lyra's face Mrs Weasley gave her comforting words and told her exactly what to do – she did as she was told and ended up in another completely different fireplace in what looked like a bookshop, or what she assumed was a bookshop where books were floating around arranging themselves into the correct place. She felt as though she'd been flushed down the toilet and was starting to wonder if that was the reason the books were flapping about around her. After a few moments she realised this strange anomaly was actually happening.

"Wow." She whispered to herself looking up at the books hovering around, dizzily – by now you would think that she was used to seeing a lot of magic but she never thought it would fail to impress her if she lived a million years with it.

A man came over to her with a fancy-looking beard – a perfect description of the kind of thing Uncle Vernon would dislike most of all – ha! She'd just got it! Uncle Vernon had been discovering wizards, she thought looking at his bottle green robes. She felt like laughing at the man's taste of clothing but thought against it as she didn't want to upset anybody. She saw others outside wearing similar outfits – this was obviously normal for wizards. Now she felt like the odd one out, they probably felt like laughing at her too.

He took her hand and helped her up.

"Welcome to Flourish and Blots, is there anything I can help you with?" He stopped and stared at her exposed forehead for a second then shock overtook his features and he forgot what he had just asked altogether. Lyra's cheeks started to burn up and just before the man said something else, Mr Weasley saved her from embarrassment by interrupting and taking her to the rest of the Weasley family who were passing their book lists to a newly arrived Mrs Weasley.

"Right then," said Mrs Weasley after having collected all of the lists, "I will go find all of these books while you all go to Gringotts to get some money for all this."

They watched as Mrs Weasley bustled off amongst the shelves, skilfully avoiding getting hit by the books. Lyra just stared at everyone – so very many strange people acting as if they didn't even realise there were flying books everywhere, then again that was normal for them she supposed – they'd probably find still images and books quite strange as she found this strange – what a thought!

They all exited the building and walked down a crowded street filled with the most amazing people and shops she'd ever seen – they went past everything from ice-cream parlours to pet shops with owls to bats in to wand and Potion shops – amazing – but there was a great building that stood before them that was golden and had the strangest creatures Lyra had seen in her life. She flinched and slowed a bit before realising this is what wizards usually see when they go to the Bank and followed the rest of the bunch after Ron gave her an encouraging smile and together they walked past the creatures with what looked like metal detectors in their hands. As they entered a message was carved into the gold above them, and it said:

_Enter Stranger but take heed_

_Of what awaits the sin of greed,_

_For those who take, but do not earn,_

_Must pay most dearly in their turn,_

_So if you seek beneath our floors_

_A treasure that was never yours,_

_Thief, you have been warned, beware_

_Of finding more than treasure there_

Lyra shivered uncomfortably. Ron noticing this said,

"Oh, don't worry about that, they just use that to scare you off." He laughed casually and Lyra felt slightly better and proceeded into the great building.

It was amazing inside – the walls and ceiling were very tall and there were desks everywhere with the strange creatures talking to customers at them, just like a normal Bank but…not.

"They're goblins Lyra, they're really smart, believe me. They've got these scary ways of catching thieves – there have been known to be dragons down there! And Merlin knows what else. Only idiots rob a place like this…but believe me, people do." Ron said.

While Ron was explaining Mr Weasley had been talking to one of the Goblins and the Goblin was leading them to what looked like a rollercoaster ride! Cool Lyra thought (she'd always wanted to go on one!) until they took off at 70 mph and she felt sick. In a blast they were out of the dark tunnels with their money (Lyra had grabbed some money out of her account that she had never known existed, and she had a fair amount) and all felt a little sick and dizzy and made their way back into the street of Diagon Alley.

Now all cashed up they headed to the shops. After buying their books Mrs Weasley had gathered up for them (that Lyra made sure she refused for them to buy) ,they went to the robe shop first, Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions and all got measured up by fascinating tape measures that magically did all the measuring by themselves. The only flaw they had however (that made Lyra and Ron laugh) was that they just wouldn't stop measuring everything in site – it even measured between Lyra's nostrils and Ron's eyebrows and measured a needle sitting on a nearby table.

How many times they insisted on buying her stuff there was no-way she'd make them get her stuff (she felt guilty as there were loads of them and only her but yet she had more money than the whole lot of them) and so she got all the stuff she needed on her list until finally it was time to go get a wand. When she and Ron entered the wandmaker's shop (Ollivanders) it appeared deserted until they both jumped as he appeared behind them with a broad (but slightly scary) smile. She was so looking forward to getting a wand!

"Ah look who it is." He said as greeting to them. "Another Weasley and Miss Potter at last!" He seemed very happy about seeing them, which Lyra took as a good sign.

"Well well, who shall go first? Mr Weasley? Right then, I think I can guess what you need." And sure enough, the first wand Ron tried was perfect for him and, grinning like a Cheshire cat, Ron stepped to the side to watch Lyra try out for her own wand.

"Well you're a bit tricky aren't you Miss Potter." Mr Ollivander said after the third breakage of a nearby bookshelf. He went in search of a fourth wand, picked one up and looked deep in thought for a moment then gingerly handed her the fourth wand. She also took it gingerly. Knowing Ron was enjoying watching behind her, as this was probably a lot more interesting to watch considering the amount of damage she'd caused and the amount of wands she was going through compared to him, she suddenly felt anxious. What if there wasn't a wand for her?

All the same, she braved it and took the wave, but before she had even fully waved the wand there was an explosion, not the same as the others, but full of power and passion and light and it wasn't destructive. It made her jump and her mouth opened in shock. Ron's hadn't done that; it had only sparked a bit.

She looked behind her to see her expression mirrored in Ron face but when she turned back the explosion had gone as quickly as it had come. She looked to Ollivander as if for an explanation. He just looked back at her in shock. He'd looked a bit zombieish since he'd first picked up the wand, was something wrong? Lyra gulped and asked,

"Um, Mr Ollivander, what just happened?" Mr Ollivander blinked before answering as if he'd just registered and worked out the answer to her question.

"Well, you see it's very curious as to why that just happened. You see, there are three other people that have been connected to this particular wand. I've never seen anything like this before, I never thought I would. But this wand's core is a Phoenix feather taken from the same tail as another, but just one other. You have the same core as You-Know-Who."

Ron and Lyra both gasped in unison and then Lyra asked bravely,

"But how can I be connected to two others as well then?" Mr Ollivander blinked again, which made her feel eerie looking at him.

"The Wood is a unique mixture of two woods, the Holly and Cherry and the same wood of each type from the same trees belongs to two others."

"Who?" Lyra asked curiously although freaked out.

"I believe it was Mrs Coulter and Neferet."

Ron and Lyra exchanged glances, Ron looking disgusted.

"Who's Neferet?" Lyra asked confused.

"Um, I…don't think I'm the correct person to answer that, I'm glad you both found your wands." Mr Ollivander said as I nothing had happened. So Lyra and Ron paid for their wands and quickly retreated down the road away from the wandmaker's shop and bumped into Hagrid.

"Hagrid!" Lyra exclaimed with both relief and excitement. If he wasn't the great size he was, she might have crushed him with the great force of her embrace. In response from Hagrid however, she was the one that ended up getting the wind blown out of her.

Ron just stood their grinning, also looking relieved, they'd both been freaked out by Ollivander. It was then that Lyra noticed Hagrid was holding a covered cage that kept rattling.

"Hagrid? What's that you've got there?" Lyra asked him curiously.

Hagrid smiled and all of a sudden started singing Happy Birthday, which Ron started joining in with. Lyra blushed profusely and grinned – she forgot it was her birthday! Passers by started to turn and stare but luckily they'd finished the song soon enough. Hagrid handed over the cage, she parted the blanket to have a look inside and – it was a cat! A cute little tortoise-shell cat with brown, white and black scattered all over her. She had a little spot on one side of her nose and another bigger splodge on the other that she new would be her cute little trade marks that she would remember her by. She couldn't contain her happiness and couldn't stop grinning – this was the best present she could ever get!

"Thank you soo much – I love her!" Hagrid grinned a broad smile.

"I'm glad to 'ear it."

"What you gonna call her?" Ron asked a grin on his face too. Lyra thought for a second, then the name came to her and she smiled.

"I'm gonna call her Chloe."


	13. The platform and the Hogwarts Express

Chapter 13 –Platform 9 ¾ and the Hogwarts Express 

After all the excitement of Diagon Alley and her new gorgeous cat, Lyra, the Weasleys and Chloe returned home to chill out for the afternoon and pack their stuff for the next day into their trunks. Lyra could barely contain her excitement! She was going to Hogwarts TOMORROW!

She excitedly ran up to the room she was staying in and collected all her new stuff together, books, parchment, quills, new robes all clean and neatly put at the end of her bed by Mrs Weasley that smelled gorgeously of freshly mown grass in the summer – her favourite smell and all the bits and bobs to entertain herself with through the year. She started neatly piling stuff into her new mahogany trunk with her initials on: L.P and while she was doing that, Chloe padded her way into the room behind her, jumped nimbly onto Lyra's bed and started sniffing all of Lyra's new stuff.

"Heyya Chloe-clogs! Looking forward to tomorrow? I am!" Lyra said excitedly to her cat, calling her by her new nick-name and stroking her tiny head. The cat began to purr loudly, Lyra loved the sound of it – it made her feel happy too.

Once she had put her school shoes in the trunk next to her cauldron and placed some money in a side pocket, Lyra closed the lid and looked at her handiwork. She then proceeded to lift the trunk off the bed and onto the floor next to the door…with some difficulty. It was rather heavy.

All the while this was happening Chloe just watched her every movement interestedly from the side lines then promptly walked around in circles at the end of Lyra's bed, plonked herself down as Lyra came to snuggle into bed and they fell asleep quickly.

Lyra was woken up from movement above and below her. She yawned and got out of bed, Chloe just one step behind her complained then followed suit and followed Lyra around the room until they were all set and ready to go. They both came down the stairs dragging the trunk behind them and into the kitchen where the smell of breakfast welcomed their nostrils. Chloe went straight to her breakfast bowl and gobbled it down quickly while Lyra laughed at her and went to eat her own breakfast.

She could barely keep still, as she was so filled with excitement. Ron who was sitting across from her looked like he felt the same too and they grinned broadly at each other over the porridge and toast.

_**Lyra **_

I finished eating my breakfast quickly so I had enough time to do last minute checks to make sure I had everything, and then went into the garden with my luggage after trying to persuade my lovely, stubborn cat into her cage. Chloe grumbled at me a bit then settled down into a snooze once her cage was settled down in my lap. I sat between Fred and George. Ironic hugh?

And yes, we were in a car, although old, it was a lot more normal than what I had been experiencing recently…or so I thought before it started to take off. This woke Chloe up.

"Sorry about this guys, we're a little short of time and there is quite a bit of traffic today, so we're having to go this route."

I didn't know cars could fly. Then something occurred to me,

"Er, can't the muggles see us?"

"No," Ron said, turning to look at me from in front of me. I gave him a quizzical look – unless muggles were that oblivious then – "The invisibility boost in on."

"Oh. Can you seriously make things go invisible – wow!"

"I know, even I find that pretty cool! Not that I can do it yet…" Ron said, and we both laughed feeling really light-hearted today. Even Fred and George looked excited to go back and Percy was flashing his Prefect badge around in all directions with an immensely proud expression on his face. I swear he worked too hard…not that I've known him for too long, but still, that's what the others vibes were giving off to me.

After half an hour we started descending. I was just getting used to the gentle rocking of the car and how cool it must be to go on holiday on planes (not that I ever had). Hell, this was by far cooler – in a CAR! But yeah, pretty amazing…

We finally landed a couple roads down from Kings Cross station and headed in that direction where most of the crowd were flowing to.

I had a look at the ticket that had come in the post the other day and properly looked at it for the first time. Platform 9 ¾ ! Wow! Did that even exist? I am now truly grateful that I've got the Weasley's here to guide me and that I'm not alone to find a supposedly nonexistent platform. Ohterwise I may have found myself looking quite stupid asking for directions as to where the platform is like a kid over there that I suddenly jerked my head up at hearing the platforms name.

"Think you're being funny do yugh? My word, kids today…not properly educated…" The kid looked thoroughly offended at this and looked very grumpy and frustrated and, well…lost.

Feeling sorry for that poor kid, I just thought that I had actually been on a train before, but that was only to get Dudley to hospital somewhere because he was overweight…anyway. I walked over to the kid, Ron giving me a questioning look, but then soon understood, the rest waited for us.

"Um, hi." I said shyly to the kid, then asked, "Are you looking for Platform 9 ¾ ?

The kid looked up suddenly, looking relieved. Then she replied,

"Oh gosh, yes, I thought I would never find it – so you're going too." It was phrased as a statement because it was kinda obvious; we both nodded and smiled in unison.

She walked back with us and, following the rest of the Weasley family we RAN THROUGH a WALL! This is just all too weird, I thought as a puff of smoke welcomed me the other side of the wall-that's-there-but-apparently-not-there wall.

Apparently as amazed as me the girl looked just as shocked but had an expression that showed that she was expecting something like this to happen. I asked,

"Did you know about this? The wall I mean?" The girl faced me and replied with a small smile,

"Yes, I read about it in Hogwarts: A History although I didn't know exactly where it was or how I was going to get through it – have you read yours yet?"

I gave her a blank look. I hadn't read any of my books yet… thinking about it I realised that she had a well spoken accent and appeared clever, maybe she could help me keep up with all this…she seemed better with the shock of this world then myself. Maybe I _should_ have done some reading to help too. I'm fairly smart but I think she's cleverer than me – we'll see.

"No, not yet, I s'pose it might help with the shock of all this, eh?"

"Yes, I'm Hermione by the way, what's your name?"

I actually couldn't believe that I hadn't even asked her name! Woops.

"Oh, yeah, sorry. My name's Lyra; Lyra Potter." Her eyes widened and she gasped.

"Is it _really_? I wasn't sure whether it was true or not being muggle-born, but I'd definitely heard of your story – it's really dreadful – I'm sorry."

Wow, that was the kindest response yet and I'd expected her to ask about my burn. But no, I expected this – it was quite crowded on the platform and she was aware and polite, I liked Hermione.

"Yeah, I've only just known for a few days – you couldn't imagine how shocked I've been…and still am! Thanks for being cool about it."

The Weasleys were calling to us and so we caught up to them in time to dump our luggage onto the amazing scarlet steam engine and to say goodbye to the Weasley patents and Ginny. I felt sorry for her, but at least she'd be coming next year. I laughed at some of the twins funny comments to Ginny about exploding off some toilet seats and teachers bed panes to post to her so she wouldn't miss out bringing a smile to the girls face and her father's, Mrs Weasley however was not amused by this at all and started lecturing them.

Just like the twins to bring a smile to everyone's faces. Me, Hermione and Ron went down the train looking for a free compartment after waving to everyone and found one with just a round-faced boy who looked friendly about our age with a toad on his lap. He looked up when we entered.

"Hi, I'm Ron Weasley, is it alright if we can join you?"

"Yeah, of course." Replied the boy, then he added, "I'm Neville by the way, Neville Longbottom."

"Nice to meet you."We all replied and sat down opposite him.

"I like your toad by the way Neville. What's it's name?" I asked politely. Really the toa just loked slimy, fat and miserable.

"Thanks, He's called Trevor. Do you have any pets?"

"Yeah, I've got a rat, he's called Scabbers, used to be my brother Percy's." Said Ron.

"I have a gorgeous cat called Chloe." I said, beginning to get her out of her cage. But Ron said,

"No! Wait until Scabbers is safely away first." After Scabbers was away, Chloe started her prowl around the compartment and then promptly settled on my lap.

"Aww, she's lovely." Hermione said, stroking her head as she purred and closed her eyes. I could tell she liked Hermione. That's when I remembered that we hadn't exchanged names again with Neville.

"Oh sorry, I'm Lyra by the way." I said, not mentioning my famous last name, he appeared not to notice this however as he got the gist. Woops I think my burn was exposed enough for him to now notice.

"Wow are you Lyra _Potter_?" He asked gaping at my head.

"Yes, I am." I replied looking more interested in stroking my Chloe. He got the message. I just wanted to fit in here, be a normal person you know, so that's how I was gonna act. After all that's how the rest of my life had been…well, kind of anyway…

"Yeah sorry, I forgot, I'm Hermione Granger." She held out her hand formally and he promptly shook it. And did the same with Ron who smiled and shook, remembering that they hadn't yet been introduced to each other.

_**Lyra**_

For the rest of the journey they all talked about sports like 'Quidditch' and games like 'Gobstones' , they even had a go at wizards Chess and Ron was amazing at it. Chloe sat on Lyra's lap for most of the journey, either asleep snoring or awake purring and eyeing up Neville's toad, Trevor. Trevor not being pleased about this hopped off Neville's lap and out the compartment's door.

"Trevor! Come back!" Neville exclaimed chasing after his toad that appeared to have disappeared completely. Chloe's eyes followed the toad's movement interestedly.

"It's okay, Neville, I'll help you find him." Said Hermione trying to be helpful and so they left the compartment in search of the toad leaving the game unfinished and the sweets from the trolley (that Lyra had decided to buy for everyone) left with only Ron and Lyra. Lyra didn't mind…more for her she thought greedily.

However their loneliness didn't last very long as just a few moments after Neville and Hermione left, newcomers arrived and they didn't seem too friendly. A fairly tall blond boy around their own age stepped into the compartment door with a sneer plastered on his thin high-cheek boned, pale face and two well-built (aka FAT thought Lyra – I mean they were HUGE) boys with clenched knuckles that looked like they wanted to punch something. But they both looked very thick according to Lyra so their co-ordination was probably rubbish and they'd miss and hit something else instead.

The blond boy looked around the compartment and at its occupants and when he saw who they were his face hardened and his expression showed disgust.

"Oh look, tattered robes and red hair; I don't suppose you're a Weasley?" The stupid boys snickered pathetically. These guys were worse than Dudley and his friends!

"Yes actually I am. Sorry do you have a problem with that? Who are you anyway?"

"Oh no, no problem, I mean, you can't _help _being a Weasley after all." Lyra could practically hear Ron's teeth clenching in anger. "I'm Draco Malfoy and this is Vincent Crabb and Gregory Goyle."

"Oh, of course I should have guessed. Greasy hair, over –the-top robes, rude and stuck up manor, thinks they're better than anyone else, you're obviously a Malfoy." Ron replied brilliantly. Malfoy did not seem pleased and even the idiots seemed to realise an insult, Lyra had to give them that much credit. Seeing trouble Lyra kicked in.

"Oi, what's your problem, go back to your own apartment, it seems like a waste of time you coming here to just insult people – don't you have a life - Anything better to do?"

This apparently made it worse.

"Don't think I don't know who you are Potter, you should choose your friends more wisely."

"I have chosen my friends; you're not suggesting I choose you are you? I'd never be friends with someone like you – and I didn't say you didn't or did know who I am."

"I'd keep your mouth shut if I were you, Potter otherwise these two will have a field day – I let no-one insult me – you're lucky that I've given you that amount of decency, and for your information I'm better than those low scum. See you at school."

And with that he stormed off leaving Ron looking like an angry Rhino. Lyra was fuming herself – why did people think they could walk all over her – even now that every one new who she was people treated her the same – worse perhaps. She tried to calm Ron down. By the time she'd talked some sense into him so he wouldn't go stampeding after Malfoy and made some horrible jokes about them to make them feel better, Hermione and Ron returned with no toad. But at least they had Hogwarts to look forward to.

Soon after rain washed down the windows so hard it was almost impossible to see out of them and soon the thunder and lightening came. Miserable weather for some, but exciting weather for Lyra with all the lights and loud noises.

While the rain pattered against the windows making them rattle Neville and Hermione were playing a game of Gobstones and Hermione had her Gobstones the nearest to the centre hole and was winning. Neville so far had one on the floor, two in the hole and one a mile off from the centre – he really was not doing well, his coordination was rubbish. It was his turn again and Lyra and Ron gave each other glances before he lobbed the stone in their direction so they ducked, this finished the game and therefore Neville got Gobbed on by all the balls, looking a mess.

After they packed the board game away they sat down, Hermione reading a book, Ron looking bored, Neville looking disgruntled and Lyra feeling adventurous. With this in her mind she got up and went out of the compartment door, closely followed by Ron who clearly wanted something to do.

_**Lyra**_

I didn't really know what I was doing but I was so excited I just had to go explore the train some more, we were getting closer to Hogwarts by the second and were only half and hour off, but what can I say? I'm nosy.

Me and Ron walked down the corridor and peeked through the glass of each compartment to see that the older students had already got changed into their robes – the girls in skirts, shirts, ties and jumpers with a cloak, the guys the same with trousers. Up ahead was Percy telling off no other than Crabb and Goyle who, by the looks of things ha stolen lots of cauldron cakes of the dinner trolley.

"How dare you speak to your Head Boy like that! You'll have detention for a month when we get to Hogwarts, not a good way to start off now is it? Go! Now." Percy practically yelled snatching the cake off both of them, and then added;

"Your parents will hear about this!" as they slouched down the corridor and into a compartment.

"Having fun Perce?" Ron asked his brother.

"Never better Ronald." He said in a monotone and then took in our appearances. "You should be dressed. Go and get changed please, we'll be arriving soon."

"Aye aye captain!" Ron said cheekily. Percy just frowned and walked away from us and we headed back to our compartment.

I should have expected it but I still was uncomfortable and not used to being stared at like a Zoo animal but felt better when we were in our compartment all changed and ready to start a new school – none of us could wait – this would be great! Just like a fairytale learning magic!

We got all of our luggage, and Chloe in her basket and departed the train. It was weird I must admit because I felt like an evacuee because we were now not in the city. I looked around and saw a great black figure calling First Years – Hagrid. I ran up to him as quickly as I could laden with my heavy load, the other three followed my lead.

"Hi Hagrid!"

"Hi Lyra, Ron and who're you two then?"

"Oh I'm Hermione and this is Neville" Hermione said very enthusiastically. She probably already new he was a half-giant. You couldn't miss it really.

Once all the First Years were gathered together like sheep we all followed Hagrid into some boats and over the MASSIVE Lake to see the MASSIVE AMAZNG view of Hogwarts at last! It was a castle – the most amazing castle I'd ever seen (which wasn't many, mostly just pictures from History lessons) but, just wow! The rain was drenching us from head to fingertip but I didn't care, nor did anyone else, everyone was far too excited. The boats were rocking a bit because the water was rough but seeing as the boats were magic they stayed upright.

The other side of the lake we got out and made our way towards the steps of the vast castle – this was gonna be BRILLIANT!


	14. Hogwarts School of Witch and Wizardry

AN: Heyaa, sorry I've not written anything for soo long – I so wish I had all the time in the world to write but it's been a busy summer and my computer's been a pain and..yeah. So hope you enjoy this chapter – we're FINALLY at Hogwarts! Extra long!

Chapter 14 – Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry

Slipping and sliding up the muddy mound towards the grand castle alight with many candles and cosy flames in fireplaces, Lyra, her friends and her classmates ascended to the welcoming but yet intimidating doors to the castle, bright and full of warmth and chatter from the students and teachers that had made it before them. A hidden different world to the one Lyra had ever known before. Pure exhilarating feelings of excitement, anxiety and nerves welcomed each and every new student and fires blazing in all the new students still alive and well as the first years entered the entrance hall and then the great hall for the first time.

Lyra looked around in awe, she'd always imagined Hogwarts to be the most amazing thing ever – but she could've never imagined this! Her imagination was purely not advanced enough to ever have pictured this, from the glowing warmth and welcome of the castle, to the proud suit of armours lining the walls following the 11 year olds every move, to the pure magic sparkle of the castle – not to mention the enchanted ceiling! All the stars smiled down at them with sparkling eyes and teeth…well only the ones that could be seen through all the dark, misty water full clouds swimming around above them. The flying candles were just under the exposed sky and just above them, just…floating there in MID-AIR! And as the students entered this more-than-majestic hall that's when the butterflies and caterpillars wiggled and fluttered their way into Lyra's stomach making her so nervous. Ron looking at Lyra obviously felt similar, likely the other kids too.

"Fred told me that now we have to do some kind've test, I didn't believe him, but look at how everyone's looking at us…" Ron looked at the massive amount of students – Lyra hadn't seen so many people in one room before in her whole life – well she had spent nearly her whole life in a cupboard… everyone was so…huge and scary and there were just so many of them, not to mention how big the castle was – they were so going to get lost. Everyone was staring at them, looks of interest written on their expressions.

They walked steadily and nervously up the isle following a Professor called Professor McGonagall who had introduced herself upon arrival in the lit entrance hall. The students' gaze followed them all the way intimidating the smaller students.

"Stand just here please." McGonagall said, turning to face the hall. They were just standing in front of the staff table where an old man with an incredibly long white as snow beard and twinkling bright blue eyes faced them with interest sitting directly in the middle of the table on the largest, grandest chair.

McGonagall placed a stall in front of them. Ron gulped beside Lyra. Then she made an old witches hat appear and went on to explain about what task they were about to do to be sorted into a Hogwarts house or…not, so Ron thought if they failed.

"Now, I will call out your name and you will come up here and sit yourself on this stall and I shall place the Sorting hat on your head to be sorted." She said gesturing to the hat and the stall to the right of her.

Ron sighed with relief.

"I'll kill Fred you know." He said, relieved but annoyed.

She placed the hat on the stall and everyone stared at it – what was it going to do? Pull a chicken out of itself? Not quite, the hat opened a brim like a mouth and started to sing:

"**Oh, you may not think I'm pretty,  
But don't judge on what you see,  
I'll eat myself if you can find  
A smarter hat than me.  
You can keep your bowlers black,  
Your top hats sleek and tall,  
For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat  
And I can cap them all.  
There's nothing hidden in your head  
The Sorting Hat can't see,  
So try me on and I will tell you  
Where you ought to be.  
You might belong in Gryffindor,  
Where dwell the brave at heart,  
Their daring, nerve, and chivalry  
Set Gryffindors apart;  
You might belong in Hufflepuff,  
Where they are just and loyal,  
Those patient Hufflepuffs are true  
And unafraid of toil;  
Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,  
If you've a ready mind,  
Where those of wit and learning,  
Will always find their kind;  
Or perhaps in Slytherin  
You'll make your real friends,  
Those cunning folks use any means  
To achieve their ends.  
So put me on! don't be afraid!  
And don't get in a flap!  
You're in safe hands (though I have none)  
****For I'm a Thinking Cap!" **

Everyone burst into applause, although amused, Lyra and the other first years still felt a bit puzzled. But before they could think anything more, the sorting began.

"Abbot, Hannah"

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

"Bones, Susan"

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

"Boot, Terry"

"RAVENCLAW!"

Each time a name was called a certain table would clap and the kid went to join that table. Lyra just hoped that she wouldn't be in Slytherin like that Malfoy boy was, Ron had told her that they were nearly all horrible and thought everyone else was scum – she didn't want to have to live with horrid people like that!

"Brocklehurst, Mandy"

"RAVENCLAW!"

"Brown, Lavender"

"GRYFFINDOR!"

At this, as the first to yet be sorted into Gryffindor Fred and George started catcalling! Lyra would love to be in the same house as all her good new friends, it would almost be like she was still at the burrow seeing as all the Weasleys were in Gryffindor.

"Bulstrode, Millicent"

"SLYTHERIN!"

The Slytherin table clapped and looking over, Lyra could see that the looked like a rough, unpleasant group.

"Finch-Fletchley, Justin"

Lyra couldn't help but find that name funny, it was a strange name after all…

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

"Granger, Hermione"

"Good luck!" I whispered to her flashing her a reassuring smile – it most certainly didn't look fun having to sit on your own in front of all those people. The nerves came to a peak as Lyra realised that it would soon be her up there.

"GRYFFINDOR!"

She clapped for her friend, relieved she wasn't a Slytherin.

"Longbottom, Neville"

"Trevor!"

There was a bit of laughter at his name, and even more when poor Neville tripped up the stairs in an attempt to try and grab his trying-to-escape toad. The hat had been taking a varied amount of time to decide what house to put people in, well, Lyra thought, some people could have a bit of different houses in them, everyone's different, but Neville's took a loooong time but finally the decision was

"GRYFFINDOR!"

Neville was so happy he ran off with the hat forgetting it was there, sat down when people were still in fits of laughter and when he realised ran all the way back and gave it back to McGonagall, of which looked on the bridge of smirking also. Lyra felt so sorry and embarrassed for him, even though it was funny – she just hoped she didn't do that in front of everyone.

"Malfoy, Draco"

LYRA'S THOUGHTS: Grrrrrrrrrrr

"SLYTHERIN!"

The instant it barely touched his hair!

There were a few more an soon it was…

"Potter, Lyra"

Nerves overtook and whispers surrounded her, comments flew to her like; "Is it really? _Her_? She gulped and faced the crowd and the sorting hat. The sat on the stall and the hat was placed on her head.

The hat appeared to be speaking to her inside her head so no-one else could hear – so that's what he must have been doing with the others, discussing, pondering, not just sitting there like an, er, hat.

"Amazing, interesting mind, this year's been an interesting year with amazing minds, but I haven't yet had a mind like your one, so brave, loyal, smart and yet perhaps a bit stubborn and greedy. There are two houses that match you so it's not an easy choice, but your mind leans to one side, you want to join your friends, new and only friends made recently, so you can feel loved and happy for once in your life and not with people that you believe would make your life miserable. Hmm, undersanding and I shall take your opinion into account as it's our choices that make us who we are. The options were, Slytherin and Gryffindor…"

"Not Slytherin, anything, please" Lyra whispered to the hat.

"…in that case it'd better be…

"GRYFFINDOR!" He said allowed to the hall.

Lyra smiled and ran over to the table where she was being applauded to join her friends, differently to the other first years however people shook hands with her – they were so nice – this was definitely the house for her. Soon it was Ron's turn, she new how nervous he was and how much he wished to be in Gryffindor like the rest of his family, so she crossed her fingers under the table for him.

"GRYFFINDOR!"

The table clapped and an even more relieved Ron with bright, red, Weasley ears to match his hair came and sat next to Lyra with a smile on his face. Lyra looked over to the staff table and looked straight into the eyes of a black greasy-haired man who gave her an unfriendly glare that told her that he didn't like her in a rather nasty way, she looked away, freaked out and congratulated Ron.

"Well done, brother." Percy said to Ron, rather too formally and politely.

After the sorting had finally concluded the headmaster stood and spoke;

"Now we're all starving I'd imagine so let us not blubber on, just a few words however and they are: Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak! Let the feast begin!"

Lyra laughed with the rest, she'd been told by the Weasleys how absurd and amazing he was, in fact she's got a chocolate frog card about him on the train. It basically said 'Albus Dumbledore is an AMAZING, DEAD SMART wizard ;)'

Food erupted out of no-where just as he uttered his last syllable, so much Lyra's stomach ached so much, she had never seen so much food! Being scrawny and malnourished as she was – hell, she tucked in shovelling food into her mouth, similarly, next to her, Ron joined in – they grinned at each other. Across the table from them Hermione was still filling up her plate and took her knife and fork and ate slowly and politely, self-conscious of looking greedy. Lyra could see it in her eyes she wanted to join in with herself and Ron.

Behind Lyra someone spoke.

"Wow, that food, truly looks delicious."

She turned around and faced - an ACTUAL GHOST!

"Oh, yes it is, hi, erm sorry, can't you, er…"

"Eat? 'fraid not, oh how I do miss it…" and then the ghost looked into space in a world of his own…probably literally? Looking around her once again, Lyra saw many ghosts now surrounding them – this was SURREAL! And yet these people were used to it – not all the first years though, obviously some others had similar backgrounds to hers. They were gasping and pointing. Lyra, however managed to stay composed and calm as to not offend the ghost.

"Oh, Lyra, Ron, Hermione, this here's our house Ghost, Nearly, Headless Nick-" Percy started to explain.

"Oh yes, I've heard all about you, nice to meet you" Hermione said, as she would, "Excuse me for asking, but how can you be _nearly _headless?"

"Well…like this." He almost pulled his head off! Ron screamed, Hermione gasped, Lyra merely gaped.

"Not pleasant eh?" So how do you like Hogwarts so far?"

"It's great yeah!" Lyra said, her friends nodding in agreement.

"So it's true then, you're here, I've been wanting t see you, an honor, even though the Dark Lord doesn't really concern me seeing as I'm dead, it would be awful to see all my live friends go to his ruthless mercy. So thank you Lyra Potter."

"It's great to meet you too Sir Nick." Lyra just smiled awkwardly as the ghost glided off.

"THAT WAS AMAZING." Lyra said to Ron and Hermione, they grinned back.

Once they were almost stuffed the plates were replaced with amazing puddings! They all tucked in, Lyra fancied some Sticky Toffee Pudding.

Lyra's eyes wondered some more and she looked at the staff table, saw Quirrell like she had in Diagon alley when she came one time with Mrs. Weasley. Strange man, she thought, but then she saw the sneering greasy man staring at her in the eyes again just past Quirrell's ridiculous turban and a shooting burning pain came from her burn and she yelped clasping a hand to her forehead.

"Are you alright?" Percy asked.

"Yeah, um, who's that man looking at Professor Quirrell?"

"Oh that's Professor Snape, he teaches Potions, tricky subject I must admit, favours his own students, the Slytherins, he's the head and basically he doesn't appear to like anyone else. Apparently he's been after Quirrell's job for years and fails every time, furthermore the job's jinxed, no-one teaches for more than one year in that subject here. But I must admit he seems to know a lot about the Dark Arts and Dark Matter Snape does.

Finally, just when they all thought they'd explode the deserts finally disappeared leaving perfectly clean plates and goblets. Lyra was still so amazed by this but now so tired and full to think anything more of it. The sound of glass being hit with a fork brought everyone's attention to the head table where Dumbledore was yet again standing ready to lecture the school on the rules. Lyra listened carefully, determined to stay out of any more trouble.

"Well, what a feast! Now that we're all comfortable, watered and fed I need to give you some notices to start the year off.

"First years and other students who seem to forget the rules need to be told and reminded that the forest is forbidden to any student as it could be dangerous, students also should not have to be reminded that curfews are strict, we do not make you go to sleep at a certain time but you must stay in your house common rooms after the time specified for each year group – these times will be on the notice boards in your common rooms."

While he said this his eyes seemed to look at the Wesley twins.

"Mr Filch, our caretaker has asked me to remind you that any form of magic in the corridors is strictly forbidden, furthermore Quidditch trials are to be held in the second week of this term, contact Madam Hooch, the flying instructor for anyone who doesn't know if you would like to try out.

And finally the third floor corridor this year will be out of bounds and anyone who wish to enter will die a most painful death."

Woah, way to end a speech. Lyra was almost the only one that laughed assuming that he was telling another joke…apparently not. She shut up quickly. Freaked out he spoke again.

Now before we retire to our warm, cosy beds let us sing the school song!

Seeing as there wasn't a set tune everyone finished at different times, the last people to finish were the Twins singing along to a funeral march, comically Dumbledore conducted them till they finished and everyone applauded their boldness.

"Right – now off to bed! March!"

Grateful Lyra and the other first years followed their house's Head prefects, so they were following none other than Percy.

Yes, Lyra was shattered, but in a good way, she couldn't wait to go to sleep in a cosy warm bed. By the time they got there she didn't have a clue how they got there – all she could remember was what seemed like gazillions of moving staircases that scarily you could easily fall down and how Neville was the only one who hadn't listened to Percy about the enchanted stair that wasn't actually there and so he fell down it. Basically they were so going to get lost in this vast castle.

They all came to a stop a portrait of a fat lady, called ironically enough, the Fat Lady.

"Caput Draconis" Percy said to the moving portrait – Lyra and the other first years were fascinated, the portraits even randomly talked to you like people do, amazing, they were all lined up the staircase wall on the long journey up to their common room. And they MOVED! Bit freaky though Lyra thought, perhaps not enough privacy if you had one in your room…

They entered as the portrait moved aside for them so they could enter, Lyra quickly memorised the password as to not forget it.

This room was just as magnificent as the rest of the castle though, cosier and gold and red was everywhere, there were bookshelves, desks, big, squashy armchairs, a massive, cosy fire place with, guess what? A FIRE in it! And there was cosy mats and curtain and tapestries and moving paintings on the walls! :O

"This is the Gryffindor Common Room." Said Percy showing us the room, now up the stairs are the dorms, girls share and boys share and your belongings are already there waiting for you. Anything you need to know should be on the board or you can ask me or one of the other prefects."

Lyra went straight up to bed saw five grand four poster beds with private velvet deep-red curtains around them which she liked and as quickly as possible she was in bed and almost straight away asleep.


	15. First day of School

Chapter 15 – First day of School

Lyra awoke the next morning; feeling refreshed, warm and comfortable in the massive, cosy four-poster bed in the Gryffindor Girls' dorm. However; when she first woke she couldn't remember where she was. Then it struck her. She opened her eyes with a start, scrambled out of bed and got dressed in a rush; excided to what the day would bring.

She quickly entered their dormitory bathroom; brushing her teeth, quickly fed Chloe; who purred at her presence and left the Gryffindor common room to go and join her friends for breakfast. When she arrived Professor McGonagall was handing out timetables to the students. She took her place in between Ron and Hermione just as she reached them.

"Good morning, nice to see you all on high alert. Here are your timetables. By the looks of it you three are having Potions first. Hope you enjoy your first day. If any of you need to talk, I'll be in my office on the first floor; my classroom's on the side of the Transfiguration Courtyard."

"Thanks Professor." The three said in unity.

Lyra took her timetable and looked at it – oh no! She had Potions first with that Snape guy who clearly had something against her. Then she had Transfiguration with McGonagall which sounded great!

"So, are you two looking forward to today? I am! I can't wait to learn how to transfigure objects and how to make potions!"

Ron and Lyra nodded in agreement with Hermione's statement. Then Fred piped up;

"Oh, she won't let you transfigure anything for weeks – and you'll start reeaally small, like with pins and stuff – can be quite dangerous you see…"

"…and not easy at all." George finished for him. Their friend Lee nodded in agreement with them.

"I still find it really tricky…" He commented.

Once breakfast was over, they made their way to their first class, however, not as smoothly as they would have liked. Needless to say they got lost.

"And where have you three been, exactly. Being late is simply not acceptable. And look who's arrived; the Celebrity herself." When none of them replied to Snape's harsh comment he said; "well?" in a severe manor that made them flinch. Some of the class were laughing, like Malfoy for instance.

"Sorry; we got lost." Lyra supplied.

"You, got – lost." He stated in a monotone glaring at Lyra. "And it's_ Professor_ to _you_."

"Please, sir; it's true." Ron nodded backing Hermione up.

"Sit down immediately; I will be informing your head of year of your …inability to come to lesson on time."

"But-" Lyra started.

"No question otherwise I will put you in detention myself." A horrid smirk crossed his face as he met Lyra's gaze again.

After that; the lesson dragged on quite slowly and Lyra was angry for the rest of the lesson as she had to put up with abuse from both Snape and Malfoy. Not to mention how Snape acted towards Hermione. He actually called her an 'Insufferable Know-it-all." Surely teachers were NOT allowed to speak to students like that! She couldn't even concentrate on cutting up her Billywig Stings.

Relief overwhelmed most of the class as the bell finally signalled the end of the lesson. They packed up and scurried out of the door as quickly as possible. Walking down the corridors, they followed the rest of their year so as not to get lost. All the corridors Lyra went past all looked pretty much the same – all old and castle-like with candles lighting their way as they went past. Furthermore the moving portraits followed them as they walked up and down the moving staircases and Lyra swore to Hermione that the knights lining the walls moved their heads following the first year's movements. Thanks to McGonagall's advice of the first floor outside, near the Transfiguration courtyard however; they made it in good time.

"Settle down please! Take your seats." McGonagall addressed the class as they did exactly that. Looking around, Lyra was glad that it was just the Hufflepuffs and Gryffindors and no Slytherins.

"Today, I will be introducing you all to Transfiguration and what we will be planning on doing in the weeks to come…"

The rest of the lesson went well and Lyra found it quite interesting and especially eventful when Seamus managed to blow up the parchment in front of him just by fiddling with his wand. Most of the lesson was taking notes on the Syllabus; however, they also got introduced to McGonagall's pets as well, as pets were apparently useful to practice transfiguring on. The students listened in awe at what they would be able to do in a few years if they worked hard enough.

By the time the bell went, it felt like no time had passed; in contrast to Snape's dismal lesson.

By the end of the day Lyra and her friends were buzzing – it had been so eventful! At dinner Seamus had managed to yet again explode something; trying to transfigure his goblet of water into Wine!

"…either there's something wrong with his wand or there's something wrong with him…"

Ron was saying as they sat in the squishy armchairs in front of the warm fireplace in front of them. He and Hermione were playing Wizard Chess and Ron was winning…and Hermione was grimly failing. Seeing how clever Hermione was today, it was really hard to believe that Ron was thwarting her!

"I know! I could not stop laughing at him – he's got the biggest amount of singed hair I've ever seen – even his eyebrows were toast!" Lyra said, complementing Ron's comment.

"There's really no reason at all why you two should be making fun of him – he's clearly trying."

Ron and Lyra shared a look and burst out laughing. Hermione turned around giving them dirty looks just as Ron's Chess piece won the game.

"Check Mate!"

"Wha-! That's not fair Ron! I really don't like this game – I much prefer Draughts. This game's even worse than the muggle game as the pieces actually destroy each other!"

"As to why I like it." Ron smartly replied an evil grin on his face. Trying to make Hermione feel better, Lyra said;

"If it helps Hermione, Ron is a complete FREAK of nature when it comes to Chess. I've officially made an oath to never play against him again…for as long as I can put it off." Hermione cheered up a bit at this comment.

Looking at Hermione's face, Lyra just had a thought. She'd never noticed it before but she recognised her from somewhere.

"Hermione? Weird question, but have we met somewhere before? I don't know why I didn't recognise you earlier. I can't place where I might have seen you seeing as I've spent the past 10 years in a cupboard."

"Well…funny you should say that actually; I feel the same way – but not about the cupboard!" They laughed.

Ron looked at them both a few times, then his eye's widened. "This is actually amazing! How I couldn't have noticed…maybe I've just not looked at you both properly before…"

"What?" Lyra and Hermione said in unison.

"You…both look really similar – similar features…apart from your hair, eyes and other minor features, for example Hermione doesn't have a burn."

"Oh yeah, I see it now! Gosh we look really similar – how have we not noticed before now?"

"Well I noticed something but I didn't say anything – too preoccupied about the sorting and such." Hermione admitted.

"You…you don't reckon you two are related do you?"

"How could we be?" Lyra asked.

"I only live with my mother and I don't have a clue who my father is – haven't dared to ask; never seen him."

"Is there a way we can find out?"

"Well…I really have got to go and look in the Library seeing as I havn't done so yet – there could be something in their – family trees and such – there must be something about you Lyra anyway…" Hermione stood up to leave.

"Are you two coming then?"

By the time they had finally found the Library, it was getting late and curfew was in an hour. The Library was massive and pretty impressive. Lyra couldn't possibly count how many books there were in there. The books looked so ancient, but yet so fascinating – Lyra wouldn't have minded taking a book out herself if she hadn't just been put off by the Librarian.

"The Library is now closed for First years, I'm sorry, you're going to have to leave; it's so you're not out past curfew."

"Nice." Lyra said and stormed off down the corridor in search of something else to do. Then an idea struck her!

"Let's explore the castle!"

"But we could get caught!" Hermione fussed.

"So what? We're hardly doing anything wrong – just learning how to find our way in this maze." Ron explained.

"Let's go." Lyra said, and they were off down the corridor in no time.

"I can't believe she was so rude to us – I so wanted to have a good look in there!"

"Doesn't matter – we can have a look tomorrow." Lyra told Hermione, also curious to have a good look in there.

They walked a long way; through doors and up and down staircases, through small passages and Ron found a secret one UNDER a bookcase which they took to find a dusty walk way full of cobwebs. Following it, needless to say they yet again lost their way and ended up coming out of a tapestry and to a statue of a hunchback witch.

"Goodness look at the time – it's an hour past curfew! We must get back!" exclaimed Hermione suddenly, looking at her watch.

That's when they heard footsteps.


	16. Snape

Chapter 16 – Snape

The footsteps got louder and the three of them tried to hide, Hermione's stern expression increasing more and more as the footsteps further approached them. Typical, Lyra thought, she had to be the one to get them all into trouble, and she new that if they got out of this she was going to get a massive headache from Hermione. Ron just looked a bit scared, she wasn't surprised; she now was feeling quite guilty; after all she didn't mean to get them lost – this castle was just so big, but now it was past curfew and if they were caught they were going to be in a lot of trouble. Damn, all she wanted to do was explore the castle – why did everything always happen to her?

Ron and Hermione had found hiding places behind an old tapestry and a statue of a hunched-backed witch. The footsteps were only a few metres away by this point and she just stood there frozen – there was no-where to hide. It was now too late anyway; she turned around to face whoever had just caught her. It was none other than greasy-haired Snape that had given her death glares at the welcome feast. She hoped he wasn't going to be like that Coulter Woman.

"And what exactly do you think you are doing out of bed at these hours?" He spat, an angry expression on his face – she decided she didn't like this man very much at all.

"I got lost." Lyra said to him, then when he raised an eyebrow at her she added, "sir."

"An unlikely story." He snapped. His eyes glinted with something – superiority?

"How's that unlikely? I've been here about a day; it's not exactly like I know how to find my way around already." The glint was gone and anger followed.

"You insolent little brat, how dare you answer me back, I will be telling your head of house about this immediately, follow me. First arriving late to class – and now this – you're out to make trouble."

"But-"

"No buts, believe me you will get punished for this Potter, you're just like your father, uncanny in fact, wondering around the castle and getting into trouble, probably making horrible pranks in the process."

Still shocked that everyone knew her name so easily, Lyra thought they seemed to just abuse it all the time. How she was going to get out of this Lyra just did not know, they were going to her head of house, the Strict Transfiguration teacher, Professor McGonagall, to be honest she kind of scared Lyra. Her thin lips to her tight bun on top of her head, but she didn't dislike her as much as this man in front of her, she seemed nice and her lesson was fine earlier. She glowered at him and had no option but to follow him to McGonagall's office.

How DARE he say that about her father, he must pay…but how? Maybe she was like her dad, but so what? Her dad was a great man and stood up to Voldemort and she was proud to have him as her dad. She just ignored him, but didn't stop glowering at him.

They had climbed down from the Astronomy tower and it took them about 10-15 minutes to reach the First Floor where her head of house's office was. They went through the Transfiguration classroom and the man knocked twice on McGonagall's door.

"Enter." A surprised and tired voice said through the door. There she was in a green tartan dressing gown and nightcap sitting at her desk with a confused look plastered on her face.

"Potter? Can you please explain to me what's going on Professor Snape?" She looked to Snape expectant for an answer. No-one liked Snape much, and now she knew why.

"Well, you see Professor, Potter was just wondering around the castle after curfew, and if that wasn't bad enough on it's own she started to answer me back and was quite rude. I'm assuming you got my message earlier."

Lyra's mouth gaped open. She could not believe him.

"Yes, I did receive it. Is this true Potter?" McGonagall asked her staring at her.

"I got lost and I did not answer back!" Lyra was frustrated – no longer than 1 day here and she was already in trouble – she could not believe it – and why did he make everything sound so much worse – this was not helping.

McGonagall gave Lyra a questioning look, "Well, that is most certainly understandable, did she tell you this Professor Snape?"

"Yes b-"

"Well that's settled then, Miss Potter if you will try and not get lost again after hours and try to be a little more polite to your teachers in future, then that would do everyone a great favour." She had finality immersed in her tone and Snape reluctantly shut up.

This wasn't exactly as Lyra had wanted it to be, but she didn't get into trouble for it. She did now however seem like a rude person that yells at teachers or whatever and she wasn't too happy with this new reputation. She turned to look at Snape who was giving her death glares again. She understood what the message was this time however: I will find a way to get rid of you from this school.

A look of confusion on Lyra's face came with her as she exited the office both Professors looking at her.

"Thank you Professor." She said to McGonagall and she continued to glare at Snape until the door shut on her face. She quickly ran all the way back to the Common Room.

By the time she got back 10 minutes later Ron and Hermione were up waiting for her, looks of shock and worry written on their faces. When she clambered through the portrait hole, Hermione's expression changed all at once and she frowned and her eyebrows furrowed in anger. She stomped up to her from the chair near the fire place she had been sitting on and started yelling at her. At least there was no-one else in the Common Room to hear.

"What happened – tell us what happened. You didn't lose any house points or get detention did you? You didn't drop us in on it did you?" The thought hadn't even crossed Lyra's mind and the teachers didn't seem to expect there to be anyone else 'getting lost' either – well, they did get lost, there's nothing wrong with that – she didn't lie, it was all true.

"Who do you think I am? Of course I didn't – none of those – I spoke only the truth – I got lost, end of story."

"Well, not being funny or anything," Ron perked up, relief showing on his face, "but it didn't quite look as though you were doing a lot of good with Snape. Actually it looked as if he has some kind of mega grudge against you or something. I saw him giving you the evils at the welcome feast."

Trust Ron to notice. He was right though.

"Yeah and when McGonagall let me off _for telling the truth and nothing but the truth_ when he didn't give me a chance as you saw, he looked livid, it was as if he's deliberately _trying_ to get me out of this place – I don't know why though. He exaggerated what happened – but McGonagall didn't even question me as if…I dunno, she knew what Snape was trying to do – he new my dad – you heard!"

"Hmm." Hermione looked thoughtful as usual, and in the just-over-a-day Lyra new her she was half expecting her to go to the Library but she really didn't think she would even dare after that, not that they could get in now anyway. "You know, maybe Snape didn't like your parents or something and that's why he doesn't like you, as simple as that. It doesn't have to be for any complicated reason or anything does it? For that matter, that could also be the reason he wouldn't stop picking on me earlier too – if we're related and all that – maybe we have the same father. He clearly doesn't like your father much does he?"

Lyra thought she was right, as usual.

"So, you don't reckon he's got anything to do with Voldemort-" they both flinched. "or that Coulter woman?"

Hermione said no but Ron said yes, the girls looked at him questioningly.

"You never know." He said with a weak smile. Lyra and Hermione both rolled their eyes and dropped the subject.

Hermione got out their schedule and scanned through tomorrow's lessons. "Thought I should check," she said, a smirk playing on her face. "We don't want you two being late for tomorrow's first lesson too. Ohh and guess what?"

"What?" Lyra and Ron said in unison.

"We've got Snape first tomorrow in Potions, again."

They stared at each other for a second and groaned inwardly, the same expression on each of their faces. Then decided to finally turn in and get some rest.

The next morning when Lyra awoke, yesterday's muck-up came back to her and all of a sudden she felt very tired again. She forced herself out of bed and into the bathroom to get sorted. When she looked in the mirror she had dark circles under her eyes and altogether looked more tired than usual, it must have been quite late by the time they had all turned in. Looking at herself she noticed more similarities between her and Hermione.

After taking a shower and getting into her uniform she found Hermione washing her face with a flannel, she too had slight rings under her eyes.

"Morning." Lyra said. Hermione's reflection smiled back at her freakily similar to her own and echoed her 'morning'.

Once they were both set and ready to go they met with a tired-looking Ron in the common room and made their way down to breakfast.

Once they managed successfully to remember how to get to the Great Hall they took their seats at the Gryffindor table and tucked in (especially Ron who already had stuffed a sausage into his mouth). When Lyra and Hermione gave him both disgusted looks he said with a mouthful,

"Bat?" Hermione and Lyra exchanged looks and smirked and started on their own breakfast.

Apart from Ron's poor show of manners, breakfast wasn't very eventful apart from a few dodgy looks people gave Lyra. She felt uncomfortable but with Ron and Hermione she felt better and they had a few laughs together before remembering what their first lesson was: Potions.

When the bell went they groaned, finished their pumpkin juices and headed to the Dungeons. Suits, Lyra thought. The last lesson they had with him certainly felt like they were locked in a Dungeon.

They joined the cluster outside the classroom. What made this worse was the fact that they had Potions with the Slytherins as well as having to put up with Snape. Apparently according to Percy he favoured all his own students and loathed everyone else, this fact had certainly been proved in Lyra's mind. Well, Lyra had certainly discovered he didn't like her last night. This lesson should probably be a living hell just like the last one but she wanted to make a good start (ignoring yesterday's bad experiences) and wanted to do well in this subject and it was obviously better to at least try and get on with Snape than to make an enemy out of him – she hated to even imagine what he would do to his enemies.

The Gryffindors were clustered in one half of the corridor and the Slytherins on the other. They looked like a nasty bunch all right giving the Gryffindors horrid looks. As they entered the classroom Lyra, Ron and Hermione bundled at the very back of the classroom as to get as far away from Snape and the other Slytherins as possible.

His next lesson did appear to be just as much a living hell as yesterday's after all and lived up to all its expectations and rumours. Snape favoured his own students and hated the rest of them – especially Lyra and Hermione it seemed, proving her predication last night. Snape's hatred of Lyra probably alleviated by last night's events. All he did was pick on her and tell Hermione off and all the others from her house all lesson and take house points from the Gryffindors, he also didn't like poor Neville either as he took the most from him. Neville had just discovered that he was rubbish at Potions. Lyra? Well she wasn't that bad at all and even though she was pretty good at it (not quite as good as Hermione) that didn't at all change Snape's attitude towards her, or Hermione for that matter. Ron just stayed with a low profile throughout the lesson, trying to avoid Snape's eye. She'd tried being polite – no difference, and she'd done excellently as she new she would as she was quite academic – but no, solid proof he hated her. And yet poor Seamus had blown his cauldron up (as he would) and had lost 20 house points already! Lyra's anger had been steadily increasing all lesson.

When they had first come into the lesson he said to the class,

"Got much sleep last night Potter? Didn't think so." He sneered at her and some of the Slytherins smirked in Lyra's direction, obviously tormenting her was their new idea of fun. That reminded Lyra of none other than Dudley, almost forgot about from her old life but still lingering at the back of her mind.

He called Hermione an 'insufferable know-it-all' yet again and kept having a go at Ron for getting frustrated with his Potion – so much for the low profile. Potions was obviously not Ron's niche.

By the end of the lesson they'd lost about 30 house points and Lyra was fuming, not to mention that for no reason he had taken an extra 5 house points at the end for Lyra apparently sitting there not doing anything when she had actually _finished_ making and tidying up her potion after instructed!

Hermione was also offended as she had never come across a teacher who had not liked her intelligence.

So they went to their next lesson: Charms.

Charms was more interesting in a more cheerful way. Professor Flitwick was a very small wizard the size of a small child – he was a dwarf, but a very optimistic and cheery one that made the Gryffindors feel less miserable and angry when they entered.

As in all lessons at Hogwarts he started off with a register and when he read out Lyra's name from the list he toppled off his pile of books which he used to make himself taller in order to see the class over his desk in excitement.

The lesson was going pretty well until they tried to perform a 'simple' charm: Wingardium Leviosa. Hermione sat watching everyone in disgust. Lyra tried to perform the charm on her feather in front of her, it was supposed to fly but the most it did was tremble a bit more after every attempt. She frowned but she new that that was better than the rest of the class had managed. Sitting next to Hermione she asked her why she wasn't trying. All she said was,

"I was just watching everyone else and everyone is saying their incantations wrong. It's 'levios_a_ not levio_sarr._"

"You do it then." Said a frustrated Ron from the other side of her.

"Okay, I will." She concentrated on her own feather and delicately traced the movement the wand had to make to perform the spell then said, "_Wingardium Leviosa." _And amazingly as usual she was correct and hers flew right up into the air just as Flitwick had instructed. Lyra felt just slightly jealous but nothing compared to Ron.

Flitwick walked past and praised her and Seamus, sitting on the other side of Lyra attempted another go having listened in on Hermione's 'lesson' on how to articulate the incantation. He muttered it again and his feather started to levitate, but in a few seconds after that, to everyone's shock it exploded as most things did with poor Seamus.

"Er, Sir, I think we need another feather over here." Ron said to Flitwick and the poor man stood there in shock looking at Seamus' singed form.

"Er, no need Mr Weasley, I think Mr Finnegan you're going to have to get that wand of yours checked out." Thinking back to their first breakfast Lyra couldn't agree enough – he'd attempted to toast a piece of bread. "Weasley could you take him to the Hospital wing please."

Ron got up with Seamus and left to the Hospital wing.

Another 10 minutes went by and they went to break. 


End file.
